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The Treasury is therefore directing SIB to bring forward rules which will require policy illustrations to use the life offices' own recent charges. This information should make clear to investors the full impact of product costs throughout the duration of the policy. Within the independent financial adviser sector, individual firms are allowed to and do rebate commission to investors. The final price to the investor can therefore take account of the costs of distribution, with the more efficient advisers being able to offer keener prices. Cost competitiveness is allowed to reign. In marked contrast, SIB/LAUTRO rules have the effect of preventing price competition for a life office's products between its tied channels and outlets. There is no direct rule preventing the rebating of commission by tied agents to their customers. But the best advice rule has been found in practice to prevent differential pricing because it would prevent a tied agent advising the purchase of a particular product if the product were available more cheaply through another tied outlet.The DGFT has concluded that rules which prevent some intermediaries from passing through to investors the benefits of cost differentials and efficiencies and which in practice require cross subsidisation between tied outlets are significantly anti-competitive. There has been no real attempt in the representations I have received to argue that the practice is anything other than anti-competitive and I agree with the DGFT's finding. The weight of the representations on this issue has been that the anti- competitive effects of the best advice rule are outweighed by investor protection benefits which also result from the best advice rule ; in particular that an investor should be able to expect that if (s)he is buying a life office product through a tied channel, the same product could not be secured more cheaply through another tied outlet.
I have considered all the countervailing investor protection arguments very carefully, but I do not find them sufficiently convincing to outweigh the competitive disadvantages or even in their own right. I can see no good reason why price competition between tied agents and outlets should not be compatible with the preservation of best advice as well as suitability, just as it is with IFAs. Introducing competition within the tied channels will, on the contrary, result in benefits to the investor.
The Treasury is therefore directing SIB to adapt the best advice regime to allow differential pricing in the tied sector. As with IFAs, best advice would continue to pertain for the product and value for money/price within the range of products and prices offered by the particular tied outlet.
SIB and LAUTRO rules require commission, in cash terms, to be disclosed by independent financial advisers if requested by the investor--so-called "soft" disclosure. No such requirement applies to other intermediaries such as tied agents and company representatives. Whether or not the amount of commission is requested by investors, it is disclosed automatically by the life office no later than the start of the cooling-off period, but is expressed as a percentage of premiums to be paid.
The DGFT has concluded that these rules are likely to distort competition among IFAs and between them and other intermediaries to a significant extent. His reasoning rests mainly on the argument that the IFA sector is a market, separate from the tied agent and direct sales force sectors, in which commission is the price for the advice
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which the investor receives. He therefore calls for the early automatic disclosure of commission, in actual cash amounts, to the investor, only by IFAs.I have considered carefully the enormous number of representations about the structure of the life insurance-linked investment market. Polarisation has introduced dichotomies into the marketplace and there are significant differences between the roles of IFAs on the one hand and the tied agents and company representatives on the other. But they are not two completely distinct and separate markets. Their roles and functions overlap and they are in competition with each other for much of the same business. Tied agents and life offices' direct sales forces are also in the business of giving advice, although their advice is restricted to the investment decision and to the choice of product within the range of a given life office. Similarly, commission cannot be regarded simply as the price of advice. I have concluded that to require early automatic disclosure of commission only by IFAs would distort the market further and would be likely to result in a significant reduction in competition by encouraging IFAs to become tied. IFAs offer a valuable range of choice and advice to investors as well as providing an essential element of competition within the industry : it is important that the IFA distribution channel is not disadvantaged in relation to the other distribution channels by the commission disclosure regime.
The current rule on commission disclosure nevertheless remains a very serious concern in an industry where sales practices are often dominated and perceived to be dominated by the payment of commission. Up-front commissions are of significant size and vary substantially both for similar products between life offices and between different products supplied by the same life office. Especially where the investor is not fully aware of the level of commission received, there is a serious risk of advice being biased by the level of commission received. This risk of bias exists in both the tied and independent sectors. Where commission is not paid, the structure of remuneration and incentives can also create a risk of bias. The current rule discriminates unfairly between IFAs on the one hand and tied agents and company representatives on the other, to the former's disadvantage. By requiring "soft" disclosure only, the current rule also allows products to compete in practice other than on the basis of their price, quality and suitability. I have assessed the evidence and have concluded that the current rule is likely to have the effect of significantly distorting and restricting competition between life offices, distribution channels and products.
In order not to distort the marketplace, it will be necessary to require automatic disclosure of commission in cash terms at an early stage by all distribution channels or broadly equivalent information in the cases of direct sales forces and bancassurance where commission is not paid. This, of course, should also enhance investor protection in that it will enable investors more easily to judge the extent to which the advice they receive could be biased. I have, however, had to consider carefully whether the likely quality and comparability of the information will be such as to be informative to the investor. I believe that it should be. But the construction of measures for all distribution channels which are meaningful, not open to manipulation and cost effective, requires detailed and expert consideration and a combination of definition and oversight by the regulatory bodies.
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Accordingly, the Treasury is directing SIB to develop proposals for fuller disclosure of commission, as specified above, and the nearest equivalent for distribution channels where commission is not paid or forms only a small element of remuneration. In developing these proposals, I know that SIB will wish to work closely with the industry and other regulatory bodies and I look particularly to the industry to respond constructively to this remit. I am also asking SIB to see that the new regime on disclosure of commission and equivalents is firmly enforced.The regulation of the sale and marketing of life insurance policies has been the subject of lengthy--too lengthy--debate. The arguments on each of the points raised by the DGFT are complex, but it is now time to draw the debate to a rapid close so that both firms and regulators can settle down in a stable regime to plan with confidence. This must be in the best long- term interest of investors and the industry alike. Disclosure of more information to their clients, with proper explanation, should hold no fears for advisers, be they IFAs, tied agents or direct sales forces. Indeed, greater transparency should help increase consumer confidence in the life insurance industry and promote healthy competition in the market for long- term savings products.
The Treasury is therefore directing SIB to bring forward by the end of 1993 detailed new draft rules as described above, or in the case of commission disclosure detailed proposals for how commission and equivalents should be measured. To ensure that they are effective and durable, it is important that the new arrangements are consumer tested before they are introduced. I am also asking SIB to consider adjustments to supervision to secure compliance with the spirit as well as the letter of the new regime and to make an assessment of the potential cost of compliance to ensure that the burdens on business are no more than necessary to deliver fair competition and investor protection.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish his proposals to amend the tax system to allow for reserving in insurance business ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : In his Budget speech my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Thames (Mr. Lamont) referred to representations made by the insurance industry and acknowledged that there may be a case for allowing tax relief on certain types of equalisation reserves covering occasional, exceptional losses. Such reserves would have to be within the regulatory framework for the industry. The Inland Revenue and the Department of Trade and Industry will next week be jointly issuing the consultation document which we promised. This looks at the issues in greater detail and invites comments on a number of matters by 29 October 1993.
As my right hon. Friend said in his Budget speech, tax-deductible equalisation reserves would be a major departure for the British tax system. If there is a consensus that equalisation reserves for particular types of insurance business should become a regulatory requirement, and practical methods of isolating the business in question and of calculating the reserve can be found, we would need to consider carefully whether the introduction of a regulatory requirement, accompanied by tax relief, should be financed by compensating changes elsewhere. Given the
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overall fiscal position, I am clear that it would not be appropriate for the Exchequer to suffer a net cost from the introduction of such a scheme.Central Statistical Office
Mr. Burns : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the Central Statistical Office performed against its key targets for 1992-93 ; and what changes have been made for 1993-94.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The Central Statistical Office's performance against its key targets for 1992-93 is described in the agency's annual report and accounts, which are being laid before the House and published today. The CSO met all 20 of its performance targets relating to the quality of economic statistics and overall met 30 out of 33 targets set for the year. There were significant reductions in the scale of revisions to key economic statistics and in balancing items in the sectoral accounts.
These improvements continue the significant progress seen in the quality of economic statistics since the formation of the CSO as a separate department in 1989 and its establishment as an executive agency in 1991. The staff of the CSO are to be congratulated on seeing through these substantial developments.
The CSO's key targets for 1993-94 are set out in the "CSO Programme Strategies 1993-96", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. As before, these targets cover the timeliness of published statistics, the size of revisions, the coherence of key economic statistics, the response rates for statistical inquiries, action to minimise the load on respondents, reponse times to public requests for information and the CSO's running costs, efficiency improvements and receipts. A number of the targets have been tightened for 1993-94 in recognition of the improvement in CSO performance.
Incomes
Ms Corston : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the research projects and reviews, including regression analyses, undertaken by the Central Statistical Office and other Government bodies to show the factors related to the trends in disposable income in the 1980s and 1990s at the top and the bottom of the distribution of income among the population of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Nelson : The Central Statistical Office is currently reviewing all aspects of the annual article on "The effects of taxes and benefits on household income". The 1991 article, published in the May edition of "Economic Trends", announced the review and invited readers to comment on the current analysis.
The Central Statistical Office is not sponsoring any research projects by outside bodies in this area at present.
Relocation Costs
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amount of (a) average, (b) lowest and (c) highest total costs of relocation incurred by an employee and reimbursed or paid directly by an employer in respect of civil servants in (i) Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, (ii) Her Majesty's Inland Revenue and (iii) Her Majesty's Treasury in the last two years.
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Mr. Dorrell : During the past two years, the total amounts of payments made to, or on behalf of, employees relocated by the departments specified--excluding additional housing cost allowances which are only paid to those employees moving to higher cost areas--are given in the table :
|Average|Lowest |Highest
|£000 |£000 |£000
---------------------------------------------------
Customs and Excise |32 |3 |<1>245
Inland Revenue |<2>27 |1 |<1>98
Treasury |17 |9 |26
Notes:<1> The highest total payments made are due
to a combination of factors including the slump in
the United Kingdom housing market, particularly in
London and the south-east, and the fact that the
employees concerned experienced long delay in
disposing of their properties at their former
locations. The bulk of the payments represent
reimbursed bridging loan interest and special
payments to relieve financial hardship of
employees in respect of a fall in the value of
their properties whilst they were on the market.
<2> This is the average figure of 1991-92, the
latest year available.
Occupational Pensions
Mr. Bowden : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the proportion of (a) all pensioners, (b) single male pensioners, (c) single female pensioners, (d) pensioner couples, (e) single women aged 75 years or over and (f) single men aged 75 years or over, who are in receipt of an occupational pension on the basis of the most recent family expenditure survey data available ; and for each group, what is the mean and median amount received.
Mr. Nelson : The figures in the table are from the 1991 family expenditure survey. Figures are subject to sampling variation. The amounts have been rounded to the nearest 10p.
|Proportion receiving|Mean amount |Median amount
|an occupational |occupational |occupational
|pension |pension per week |pension per week
|Per cent. |£ |£
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All pensioners |43.1 |46.90 |30.50
Single male
pensioners |59.6 |45.80 |28.20
Single female
pensioners |43.1 |35.50 |24.10
Pensioner couples |68.8 |67.50 |40.10
Single women
aged 75 years and over |36.3 |35.80 |23.30
Single men aged
75 years or
over |55.6 |40.70 |26.00
Government Debt
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the distribution of Government debt between the banking and non- banking sectors in each month since the Budget.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 21 July 1993] : Estimates of gilt sales by sector are published in the Bank of England's monthly monetary statistics press release--public sector
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funding table. Estimates of the sectoral distribution of the level of outstanding national debt are made quarterly and published in the November issue of the "Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin"--tables H and J in the 1992 edition.Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's policy on the proportion of Government debt to be sold to the banking sector.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 21 July 1993] : The Government's policy is to fully fund their borrowing needs. There is no policy as to the proportion of debt to be sold to any particular sector.
Surplus Land Sales
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has issued on maximising the financial return from the sale of surplus land.
Mr. Dorrell : Revised guidance on the disposal of land and buildings was issued to Government Departments and non-departmental public bodies on 23 July 1992. The guidance was circulated at the same time to members of the Public Accounts Committee, together with a note setting out the key points.
VAT
Mr. Gale : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the liability of VAT of amateur sports and cultural activities in the public sector.
Sir John Cope : I am discussing with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage a VAT exemption for the supply of certain services by non-profit-making organisations and local authorities to persons who take part in sport or physical education. This would be a limited exemption to be introduced by Treasury order. The precise scope of the exemption would be determined after we have discussed with the representative sports bodies the services and sports to be included.
We shall also be holding discussions with a view to examining the case for exempting certain cultural services and associated goods supplied by public authorities.
Sterling Deposits
Mr. Mandelson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the gross figures for sterling deposits held in Switzerland by institutions other than the central bank.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 15 July 1993] : Neither the Bank of England nor the Treasury collects this information.
Barlow Clowes
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken to date against the third parties implicated in the Barlow Clowes collapse.
Mr. Nelson : I have been asked to reply.
Responsibility for Barlow Clowes matters rests with the Treasury under the Transfer of Functions (Financial Services) Order 1992.
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The Government continue vigorously to pursue any claims capable of reducing the cost to the taxpayer of the ex gratia payments scheme. Because of a number of outstanding actions, I cannot give details of recoveries made, as doing so might influence their outcome. However, as I said on 16 June, Official Report, columns 613-14, the Government have secured an order for damages against Mr. and Mrs. Clowes in the sum of £31 million.FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Abu Dhabi (British Detainees)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the British detainees in Abu Dhabi.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : On 13 July 1993 all the Bank of Credit and Commerce International detainees in Abu Dhabi were either charged or conditionally released. Five British nationals in detention were charged. One British national, who had been detained, has been released but cannot leave the United Arab Emirates until investigations are completed. A British national who was previously released but unable to leave the UAE has been charged. The trial date has been set for 9 October 1993.
Yugoslavia
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimates he has of the size of (a) regular forces of the Yugoslav army and (b) regular forces of the Croatian army currently present and operating in Bosnia-Herzegovina ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : There is continuing evidence that Serbian and Croatian Government forces are operating in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but due to constant troop movements and the difficulties faced by international monitors, it is not possible to provide reliable estimates of their numbers.
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to President Izetbegovic about the maltreatment of mentally handicapped adults and children at Fojnica hospital in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We share the United Nations High Commission for Refugees' concern about the desperate plight of the patients in the hospital in Fojnica. This is a further example of how innocent civilians have suffered as a result of the conflict in Bosnia. We have repeatedly urged all parties to respect the rights and interests of civilians.
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress the United Nations Security Council has reported on investigations carried out by the United Nations Sanctions Committee into Croatian breaches of United Nations Security Council resolution 713 following investigations into this matter in September 1992 ; when Her Majesty's Government received a full report of the alleged violations contained in the case referred by the United Nations Sanctions Committee to the United Nations Security Council in September 1992 ; if he will publish this report ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Following the discovery of arms consignments in Croatia by United Nations forces in September 1992, the United Nations Sanctions Committee asked the Croatian and Iranian Governments for an explanation. The Croatians denied prior knowledge of the consignment. The Iranian authorities have not satisfactorily explained why the arms concerned were being transported in an Iranian aircraft.
The equipment has since been destroyed by the United Nations Protection Force on the instructions of the United Nations.
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the issue of sanctions against Croatia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Foreign Ministers of the European Community agreed in Brussels on 19 July to consider withdrawing Croatia's preferential trading benefits with the European Community, in view of Croatia's continued involvement in the conflict in Bosnia.
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from British forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina of atrocities having been carried out by Muslim forces within the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina ; and what representations have been made to the Bosnian presidency.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : British forces deployed in Bosnia under the auspices of UNPROFOR provide us with regular reports about events on the ground there. It is clear that all parties have been responsible for committing atrocities, but the record of the Bosnia Serbs is worst. We have repeatedly urged all parties to respect the rights and interests of civilians.
Entry Clearance Posts
Ms Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what posts have been designated for the purpose of receiving applications for entry clearance in (a) the states comprising the Indian sub-continent, (b) the states comprising the territories of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and (c) Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya ; and what are the categories of applications applicable in each location.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I am arranging to send the hon. Member a full list showing which diplomatic and consular posts accept which kinds of application for entry clearance.
Debt
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current total of outstanding official debt owed to the United Kingdom by countries in Sub-Saharan Africa ; and how much of that debt is owned to (a) the Export Credits Guarantee Department, (b) the Overseas Development Administration and (c) the Commonwealth Development Corporation.
Mr. Portillo : I have been asked to reply.
Total outstanding official debt owed to ECGD and ODA by countries in Sub- Saharan Africa is currently
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£3.6 billion and £98 million respectively. Debt owed to the Commonwealth Development Corporation is not treated as official debt.LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Judges' Notes (Murder Trials)
Mr. Gunnell : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to make available to an hon. Member the judge's notes for a murder trial in which one of his constituents wishes him to inquire into his conviction.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Judge's notes are a closed record and not normally made available. The verbatim record of a murder trial is kept for five years, and I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question which appeared in Hansard of 8 July 1993, column 205.
A New Framework for Local Justice"
Mr. Deva : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received from magistrates courts committees and their clerks on the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice" would lead to a better administration of summary justice.
Mr. John M. Taylor : A list of all those magistrates courts committee staff, magistrates and their representative organisations.
Mr. Deva : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what account was taken in formulating the proposals in the White Paper, "A New Framework for Local Justice" of the policy of local management empowerment.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice" took account of a 1989 scrutiny which recommended that the magistrates courts service should be organised as an executive agency, but concluded that the service should continue to be managed locally. The White Paper addresses weaknesses in the service identified by the scrutiny, while leaving the management of the service in the hands of local committee of magistrates and enhancing the ability of the committees to manage strategically and exercise proper scrutiny of the organisation for which they are responsible.
Mr. Deva : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimate he has made of the potential savings resulting from the implementation of the proposals contained in the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice".
Mr. John M. Taylor : The White Paper announced wide-ranging changes to the organisational structure of the magistrates courts service. The purpose of these changes is to provide clearer lines of accountability, to secure maximum co-operation in the management of the service with other parts of the justice system, to guarantee the judicial independence of magistrates and their legal
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advisers and to yield improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the service. Better value for money resulting from the new arrangements should when realised more than offset the transitional costs. The particular savings at local level will depend largely on the management decisions taken by magistrates' courts committees about the way they will implement the changes.Mr. Deva : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made as to the extent to which the changes envisaged in the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice" will lead to the better administration of summary justice in outer London.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The changes announced in the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice" will lead to a better administration of summary justice throughout England and Wales including outer London by providing clearer lines of accountability both locally and to the Lord Chancellor, by guaranteeing the judicial independence of magistrates and their legal advisers, by yielding improvements in efficiency and effectiveness and by securing maximum co-operation in the management of the service with other parts of the criminal justice system. The newly formed magistrates courts inspectorate will have a particular responsibility for helping to raise the performance standards of management and administration.
Mr. Deva : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the effects of the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice" on the independence of justices' clerks.
Mr. John M. Taylor : I am entirely committed to the principle of judicial independence. This is why the legislation which, with Parliament's approval, will put the new statutory framework in place, will enshrine in statute a guarantee of judicial independence. Justices' clerks are not judicial officers, but their advice to magistrates in individual cases will not be subject to management direction. In respect of management responsibilities--a very substantial part of the justices' clerks' responsibility--it is important to have a proper framework of line management and accountability. The White Paper reforms will provide this.
Mr. Deva : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which the proposed population criterion for magistrates courts committee areas contained in the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice".
Mr. John M. Taylor : We have concluded that the number of magistrates courts committees should be reduced in order to yield improvement in efficiency and effectiveness and to secure maximum co- operation with other parts of the criminal justice system. Population is one of a number of criteria developed in consultation with the service against which we will decide how this reduction should be effected.
Mr. Deva : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which magistrates courts committees have (a) a weighted case load of over 90,000, (b) an annual outturn, at 1991-92 prices of over £2.5
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million and (c) a population of over 750,000 ; and if he will make a statement on the extent to which these reach performance targets.Mr. John M. Taylor : This information is set out in the Magistrates Courts Consultative Council document No. 2 "Magistrates' Courts Committee Areas (excluding Greater London)", a copy of which I have arranged to be placed in the Library of the House. The reorganisation proposals for courts committees are intended to lead to improvements in local performance and accountability and these will be measured by performance standards which we are now developing.
Appeals
Mr. Cox : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the number of cases heard by appeal courts in England and Wales where the original sentence has either been reduced or quashed in the last three years.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The table shows the total number of appellants dealt with during the last three years in the Court of Appeal, criminal division and the Crown court--on appeal from a magistrates' court--whose appeals against sentence have been allowed or allowed in part.
Successful appeals against sentence to the Court of Appeal and
the
Crown Court during the years 1990 to 1992
|Court of Appeal|Crown Court
----------------------------------------------------------------
1990 |1,526 |3,157
1991 |1,219 |2,941
1992 |1,049 |2,883
Judges (Dismissal)
Mr. Cox : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the number of judges dismissed in each of the last three years for incapacity.
Mr. John M. Taylor : No judges have been removed from office on the ground of incapacity in the last three years.
Judges (Criticism)
Mr. Cox : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the number of appeal court cases where the action of the trial judge has been criticised by the appeal court in each of the last three years.
Mr. John M. Taylor : This information is not collected.
Mr. Cox : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what procedures are followed when a judge is criticised by the appeal courts for the way in which he has handled cases appearing before them ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr John M. Taylor : In all cases heard at the Court of Appeal criminal division, copies of judgments of the Court of Appeal are sent to the Crown court centre at which the trial took place. A separate copy is sent direct to the trial judge.
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HOUSE OF COMMONS
Drinking Water
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what programme is in hand to enable drinking water of potable quality to flow to all water taps in the Palace of Westminster.
Mr. Ray Powell : Drinking water supplied direct from the mains is already available from all taps in the parliamentary estate which are so marked. Water supplied to other cold taps--for example, to wash hand basins --may or may not be of potable quality, since some of this water comes from storage cisterns. There are no plans to supply mains water to every cold tap.
Vote Office
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, which of the domestic Select Committees will have responsibility for the services provided by the Vote Office following the transfer of that office from the Library Department to the Clerk's Department with effect from 1 November.
Mr. Beith : The provision of documents and publications to Members by the Vote Office is a matter within the area of responsibility of the Administration Committee, but the Vote Office may need to be associated with the work of other committees as appropriate--for example with the Information Committee in respect of policy relating to information technology.
SCOTLAND
Salmon
Sir Cranley Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the report of the Salmon Advisory Committee on factors affecting emigrating smolts and returning adult salmon, with particular reference to the provisions of the Salmon Act 1986 and other legislation relating to dams and weirs ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : This report has been extremely helpful. As a result, I propose to consult further in the autumn on the provision of fish passes and fish screens, with a view to making regulations under the Salmon Act 1986.
Scottish Agricultural Science Agency
Mr. Kynoch : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the annual report and accounts of the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency for 1992-93.
Mr. Lang : I have today published the report, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
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