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Mr. Portillo : I refer the hon. Member to tables 2B.1 amd 2B.2 of the 1993 "Financial Statement and Budget Report".
VAT
Ms Quin : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to lowering the VAT rate levied on energy-saving equipment including insulation and draughtproofing ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Cope : My right hon. Friend keeps all taxes under review, but no Chancellor normally proposes changes in rates outside the Budget statement. In the sixth EC VAT directive, the United Kingdom Government agreed in 1977 that no new zero rates would be introduced.
Pensions
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost to the Exchequer of providing non-contributory, index-linked pensions to public sector employees ; and what plans he has to review such practice.
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Mr. Portillo : Of the main public service schemes, only the armed forces pension scheme is non-contributory. The civil service and judicial pension schemes are non-contributory for members' benefits, but members pay contributions for survivors' benefits. The estimated cost to the Exchequer of providing pensions from these schemes in 1992-93 is as f Judicial Pensions Scheme 9
The determination of pay for the civil service, armed forces and the judiciary takes into account the value of the whole remuneration package of pay and other conditions of service, including the value of pension scheme benefits and the contribution which scheme members make. These arrangements are kept under review.
Northern Cyprus
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to prevent the flow of capital from the United Kingdom to destinations in northern Cyprus.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to prevent the illegal import of manufactured goods from Turkish Cyprus.
Sir John Cope : Manufactured goods imported from north Cyprus are subject to the normal controls applied by Customs and Excise.
Income Tax
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total number of guidance documents issued to employers in connection with the levying of income tax ; and what was the total expenditure on such documents in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 10 June 1993] : Each year 130,000 new employers are issued with a starter pack jointly by the Inland Revenue and the Contributions Agency containing basic pay-as-you-earn guidance--tax and national insurance contributions--together with a set of standard tables and a small supply of PAYE stationery, such as deduction working sheets and a requisition form for ordering additional supplies. Around 1.1 million established employers receive an annual pack before the start of each tax year containing revised basic guidance, more detailed guides for reference purposes and further supplies of PAYE stationery tailored to the individual employer's requirements. Soon after the Budget, all employers are sent a supplementary pack containing details of the Chancellor's proposals relating to PAYE including, where appropriate, revised tax tables. Following the move to a unified Budget this November, the contents of the annual and Budget packs will be combined in a single, slimmer pack for all employers.
The Inland Revenue has not kept central records of the total expenditure in each of the last 10 years on providing all employers with the documents they need to operate PAYE. Many of these documents are provided by local tax
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offices in response to individual requests by employers. However, the Inland Revenue estimate the cost of printing, packing and posting the bulk issue packs at between £4.5 million and £5.5 million in each of the last three years.Removal Expenses
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the number of employees for whom removal expenses and benefits exceeded (a) £6,000, (b) £8,000, (c) £10,000, (d) £12,000, (e) £14,000, (f) £16,000, (g) £18,000 and (h) £20, 000 in the latest year for which figures are available ;
(2) if he will estimate the yield to the Exchequer of limiting tax relief for removal expenses and benefits to (a) £6,000, (b) £8, 000, (c) £10,000, (d) £12,000, (e) £14,000, (f) £16,000, (g) £18,000 and (h) £20,000 in 1994-95.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 11 June 1993] : There is no comprehensive statistical data source from which such estimates could be calculated. On the basis of estimates of the total number of employer- assisted relocations from survey and administrative data sources, and reasonable estimates of the likely levels of expenses in 1993-94, the following tentative estimates can be made. These are all based on the Budget proposals for the reform of tax relief for relocation packages with the corresponding limits substituted for the proposed level of £8,000.
Threshold for |Numbers subject to |Income tax yield<3> removal expenses |tax for |in 1994-95<4> £ and benefits |1993-94<1><2> |million (excluding loss on |(thousands) sale payments) £ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6,000 |100 |300 8,000 |100 |200 10,000 |75 |150 12,000 |50 |150 14,000 |50 |100 16,000 |50 |100 18,000 |50 |100 20,000 |25 |50 <1> Excluding employees covered by transitional arrangements-estimated to be one third of those moving and receiving relocation assistance in 1993-94. <2> Numbers of employees receiving "loss on sale" payments, additional housing cost payments, or receiving eligible removal expenses and benefits in excess of the stated levels. <3> Including tax on payments for losses on sale. <4> In respect of payments in 1993-94.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of employees for whom tax relief for removal expenses and benefits were claimed in each year since 1987.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 11 June 1993] : Available estimates of the numbers of employees whose employers made payments towards removal expenses and who benefited from tax relief under extra statutory concession A5 are as follows :
|Thousands
------------------------------
1987 |200
1988 |175
1989 |200
1990 |200
1991 |175
These figures are based on information from labour force surveys for United Kingdom moves and Inland Revenue data for international relocations.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of employees moving because of (a) a job transfer with an existing employer and (b) to take up new employment, who benefited from assistance with removal expenses in the latest year for which figures are available ; and what was the total tax relief available to employees in each category in that year.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 11 June 1993] : Approximate estimates in respect of 1991-92, the latest year for which data are available, are given in the table. Estimates of the relevant numbers of employees relocating in the United Kingdom are based on the 1991 labour force survey and those for international moves are based on administrative data. The revenue costs of tax relief--under extra statutory concession A5- -are based on reasonable assumptions about the levels of payments and are very tentative.
|Number (thousands)|Cost (£ million)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Kingdom moves:
With same employer |120 |600
To new employer |40 |100
International moves |15 |100
|--- |---
Total |175 |800
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In addition, there were in 1991 nearly 300,000 job-related moves in the United Kingdom which did not benefit from relocation assistance from employers.TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Firms (Receivership)
Mr. Alton : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the percentage change in the number of firms in the north-west going into receivership in the last month for which figures are available.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : There is no regional breakdown of official statistics on companies placed into receivership. A quarterly breakdown for England and Wales is published in the "Companies Report" presented to Parliament annually by the Department.
International Telephone Charges
Ms Janet Anderson : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish details of international telephone charges from the United Kingdom ; what information he has on equivalent charges from other EC countries ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : Both BT and Mercury Communications are obliged to make their telephone call charges available. I refer the hon. Member to their published tariffs, which are available from these companies' major offices.
International comparisons are complex, since the basis on which calls are defined can differ from country to country. The following table sets out the price inclusive of VAT in ECUs, of a peak rate, three-minute international telephone call between EC member states.
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Outgoing from:Incoming to:
|B |DK |D |GR |E |F |IRL |I |L |NL |P |UK
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B |- |2.53|1.93|2.68|2.53|1.93|1.93|2.53|2.31|1.64|2.53|1.93
DK |1.59|- |1.43|1.43|1.80|1.59|1.59|1.80|1.59|1.59|1.80|1.59
D |1.76|1.76|- |1.76|1.76|1.76|1.76|1.76|1.76|1.76|1.76|1.76
GR |1.88|1.88|1.88|- |1.88|1.88|1.88|1.88|1.88|1.88|1.88|1.88
E |3.02|3.02|3.02|3.02|- |3.02|3.02|3.02|3.02|3.02|3.02|3.02
F |1.97|1.97|1.97|1.97|1.97|- |1.97|1.97|1.97|1.97|1.97|1.97
IRL |2.70|2.70|2.70|2.70|2.70|2.70|- |2.70|2.70|2.70|2.70|2.06
I |2.18|2.18|1.94|1.94|2.18|1.94|2.57|- |1.94|2.18|2.57|2.18
L |1.12|1.62|1.62|1.62|1.62|1.62|1.62|1.62|- |1.12|1.62|1.62
NL |1.50|1.50|1.50|1.98|1.98|1.50|1.98|1.98|1.50|- |1.98|1.50
P |2.89|2.89|2.89|2.89|2.72|2.89|2.89|2.89|2.89|2.89|- |2.89
UK (BT) |1.48|1.48|1.48|1.48|1.48|1.48|1.42|1.48|1.48|1.48|1.48|-
UK (Mercury) |1.45|1.45|1.45|1.45|1.45|1.45|1.34|1.45|1.45|1.45|1.45|-
Source: Commission Communications "Towards Cost orientation and the
Adjustment of Pricing Structures" updated 1 February 1993.
This table shows that the United Kingdom has the cheapest outgoing call charges to other member states in seven out of 11 cases and is second cheapest in the four other instances.
Vehicle Components
Mr. Spellar : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the levels of import and export of automotive vehicle components for each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Mr. Needham : The figures requested are as follows :
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Motor vehicle parts
(Standard Industrial Classification 1980 Activity
Heading 3530)
£ million
|Exports (FOB)|Imports (CIF)
--------------------------------------------------------
1992 |3,460 |4,654
1991 |3,365 |4,024
1990 |3,105 |4,077
1989 |2,820 |3,697
1988 |2,476 |3,052
Source: HM Customs and Excise.
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It is recognised that not all parts used by the motor industry are assigned to the motor vehicle parts industry (Activity Heading 3530) as officially defined. As a result, the trade values assigned to the motor vehicle parts industry are understated.Oil Companies
Mr. Spellar : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he intends to continue part III of the undertakings given by the oil companies to the Government.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : The Director General of Fair Trading will be advising my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on whether any changes should be made to the petrol undertakings. Until that advice has been received and considered, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Light Rail Transit Systems
Mr. Spellar : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 7 June, Official Report, column 161, on British train manufacture, what progress has been made in his Department's attempts to enhance Britain's capability in light rail transit systems, including trams.
Mr. Sainsbury : Four projects of direct relevance to light rail transit systems, including trams, are currently being considered by my Department under the tracked transport systems technology programme.
Product Marking
Mr. Riddick : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals his Department has to introduce regulations requiring retail products to be named in a manner which indicates the product's area of origin.
Mr. McLoughlin : None. Such regulations would conflict with the United Kingdom's obligations under the treaty of Rome and other international agreements.
Mr. Riddick : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals his Department has to introduce regulations requiring all footwear for sale to be labelled with a symbol relating to the material of construction.
Mr. McLoughlin : My Department has no plans to introduce such regulations. No agreement has been reached on the proposed EC directive and we continue to oppose the obligatory use of symbols to label footwear.
Regional Aid
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make a statement about the representations he has received about changes in the travel-to-work areas eligible for regional aid ;
(2) if he will make a statement about the continued eligibility of travel- to-work areas for regional aid ;
(3) if he will make a statement about the changes he intends to make in the travel-to-work areas eligible for regional aid.
Mr. Sainsbury : I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Falkirk, West (Mr. Canavan) on 21 April, Official Report, columns 117-18 and to the hon. Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin) on 6 May, Official Report, column 206.
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Jobs Stoke-on-Trent
Ms Walley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the full cost and remit of the Coopers and Lybrand development study undertaken under contract to English Estates to inquire into the provision of job opportunities in the Stoke-on-Trent area.
Mr. Heseltine : Coopers and Lybrand was asked to provide an overview of the local economy and an analysis of the local property market. The cost of the report was approximately £15,000.
Ms Walley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade who is responsible for co-ordinating measures to counteract the loss of miners' jobs in the Stoke-on-Trent area.
Mr. Heseltine : Lord Walker has overall responsibility for co- ordinating the regeneration package for coal closure areas in England.
North Staffordshire Coalfield
Ms Walley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to keep all hon. Members representing the north Staffordshire coalfield fully and regularly briefed of all relevant initiatives undertaken by English Estates or by his Department.
Mr. Heseltine : I have asked English Estates to keep hon. Members informed of its activities locally.
Trentham Colliery
Ms Walley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much new money has been allocated to date to counter the unemployment caused by compulsory redundancies at Trentham colliery ; and what percentage that is of the total money allocated to alleviate job losses in coal mining areas.
Mr. Heseltine : Additional money already made available to help regenerate the Trentham colliery area are £7 million from English Estates, £4.9 million from the Department of Employment for the Staffordshire training and enterprise council and £826,000 from the Department of the Environment's coalfield areas fund. This represents over 6 per cent. of the £200 million regeneration package for pit closure areas. Regional enterprise grants have also been extended to the area.
Ms Walley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade which Government Departments, Government agencies and private consultants commissioned from the public sector are currently being consulted or engaged in endeavours to counter the effect of job losses at Trentham.
Mr. Sainsbury : The Department of Trade and Industry, in conjunction with English Estates, the Department of Employment and the Department of the Environment, is working closely with local authorities, the Staffordshire training and enterprise council and other local bodies to counter the effect of job losses at Trentham.
Corporate Jets
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information his Department has received on United Kingdom bids received by British Aerospace for Corporate Jets ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Heseltine : Any information received by my Department on bids received by British Aerospace for Corporate Jets, which has not been announced publicly, is commercially confidential.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will visit the Corporate Jets factory, Broughton, Clwyd ; and if he will receive a deputation of production workers from the Corporate Jets factory, Clwyd.
Mr. Heseltine : My right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry, who has ministerial responsibility for the aerospace industry, visited the Broughton factory site last year. I have no plans to visit the Broughton site or to receive a delegation of production workers from the factory.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information his Department has received on the proposed timetable for the sale by British Aerospace of Corporate Jets to Raytheon (United States) ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heseltine : Any information received by the Department of Trade and Industry on the proposed timetable, which has not been announced publicly by the companies involved, is commercially confidential.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement concerning the competition aspects of the proposed sale by British Aerospace of Corporate Jets to Raytheon (United States) ; and what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Aerospace concerning the competition aspects of the sale.
Mr. Heseltine : The chairman of British Aerospace advised me of the proposed sale on 26 May. However, it is for the Director General of Fair Trading to consider whether the proposed acquisition is a qualifying merger under the Fair Trading Act 1973 and, if so, to advise me in due course.
Indonesia
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations in regard to abuses of human rights were made by the Trade Minister heading the British trade delegation to Indonesia on 1 to 3 June.
Mr. Needham : None. The Indonesians are fully aware of the Government's firm stance on human rights issues, expressed most recently by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary during his visit last April. The purpose of my visit was to promote and further the interests of the accompanying British firms in the civil sector in the buoyant markets of Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.
Petrol Supply
Sir David Steel : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he intends to accept the Office of Fair Trading"s recommendations on abolition of part III of the undertakings given by the oil companies on the supply of petrol.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has not yet received the Office of
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Fair Trading's recommendations. Until this advice has been received and considered, it would not be appropriate to comment further.Bankruptcy Audit Fees
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total sum his Department collected from the 15 per cent. audit fees in bankruptcy for the last financial year.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : The total sum collected by the DTI from the 15 per cent. audit fees in bankruptcy for the last financial year was £7,230,351.
Plugs and Sockets
Sir Cranley Onslow : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to ensure that EC proposals for the harmonisation of electrical plug and socket systems do not damage the interests of United Kingdom industry and commerce.
Mr. Sainsbury : My Department is working closely with the relevant trade associations to ensure that the interests of the United Kingdom industry--in particular, manufacturers of domestic appliances, plugs and sockets--are reflected in the harmonisation proposals coming forward, while recognising that consumer safety issues are also important.
Assisted Areas
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 7 June, Official Report, columns 164-65, what are the unemployment statistical series that are being taken into account in determining the new assisted areas map.
Mr. Heseltine : Data on unemployment rates in recent years, including long-term rates, have been considered in the assisted areas map review.
Insolvency Service
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many unclaimed dividends were held in the Insolvency Service's account during the financial year ended 31 March ; and what was the total value of these dividends.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : The total of unclaimed dividends held in the ISA as at 31 March 1993 was £14,085,952.
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many unclaimed dividends were surrendered to the Consolidated Fund by the Insolvency Service in the year ended 31 March ; and what was their total value.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : The Insolvency Service does not keep a separate record of the number of unclaimed dividends surrendered to the Consolidated Fund in any one year, but their total value for the year ended 31 March 1993 was £530,398.
Post Offices
Mr. Spearing : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures he intends to adopt to maintain the network of Crown, agency, or sub-post offices where payments for a full range of pensions and benefits can be made.
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Mr. McLoughlin : We are committed to maintaining a nationwide network of post offices at which pensioners and other benefit recipients will continue to be able to receive their benefits. Total government business transacted through post offices has increased in each of the last three years, and is expected to increase again this year. The future prosperity of the network of post offices is one of the key objectives of our review of the structure and organisation of the Post Office, announced by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 29 July 1992.
Shipbuilding Directive
Dr. Godman : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last discussed with his ministerial counterparts from other member states of the European Community the question of the seventh directive on the shipbuilding intervention fund being succeeded by an eighth directive based upon similar criteria to those which underpin the former ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heseltine : On 4 May the Industry Council agreed in principle to extend the seventh directive for 12 months after it expires on 31 December 1993.
Political Donations
Mrs. Roche : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the operation of the Companies Act 1985 in relation to the use of associate companies to make political donations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : Directors of a GB parent company are required under section 234 and schedule 7 of the Companies Act 1985 to disclose political donations of more than £200 in aggregate made by the company and its subsidiaries.
Subsidiaries, defined in section 736 of the Act, are bodies corporate under the control of a parent. Associate companies are the subject of significant influence, rather than control. The responsibility for the reporting of political donations made by United Kingdom associate companies lies with the associate company concerned.
I have no plans for any review.
KONVER Programme
Mr. Hutton : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if his Department will provide matching financial support for projects which succeed in attracting funding under the KONVER programme ; (2) what estimate his Department has made of the employment implications in the United Kingdom of successful bids for support under the KONVER programme ; and if he will make a statement ; (3) how many applications for funding under the KONVER programme have been submitted to his Department ; and how many are being recommended to the Commission ;
(4) what preparations his Department has made to submit applications under the KONVER programme to the European Commission ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heseltine : The KONVER scheme of grants was announced on 28 May this year. The United Kingdom
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along with other member states has been invited to put forward a programme by the European Commission. The Commission has asked for these to be transmitted to Brussels by 31 August 1993.My Department will shortly be consulting interested bodies for their views on the draft United Kingdom programme. Applications for projects have not yet been invited, and it is not possible at this stage to determine what the employment implications might be. It will be for applicants themselves to provide funds to match any grant awarded under KONVER.
English Estates
Mr. Trotter : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will ensure that an early start is made by English Estates to its Walker development on Tyneside.
Mr. Eggar : English Estates has already let the building contract.
Scottish Beer
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement, following the meeting between the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms and the Brewers Society, on the issue of the head on Scottish beer.
Mr. McLoughlin [holding answer 9 June 1993] : At the meeting on 19 May, representatives of the Brewers Society urged the revocation of the order bringing into force section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985. The Government are considering the points made by the society and other representations received on this matter. A decision will be announced as soon as possible.
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