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A418
Mr. Lidington : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect which the EC's Tern programme will have on his Department's proposals for the east-west route and the A418 west of Aylesbury-Wing bypass.
Mr. Key : The east-west route was accepted as part of the trans- European road network, TERN, by the Council of Ministers on 29 October. The A418 west of Aylesbury-wing bypass forms part of the route.
Inclusion in the TERN has no effect on the standards we propose for the route.
Targets
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table showing the targets and performance against targets in respect of (a) punctuality and (b) reliability of each of the divisions of British Rail serving the London area, and of London Underground and London Buses, in each month from January 1992.
Mr. Norris : The information requested is shown in the tables.
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London Underground Limited: Service performance since January 1992<1><2>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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London Transport bus service performance since January 1992<1><2>
Low frequency
services
4 weeks ending |Per cent. mileage |Target (per cent.) |High frequency |Target (mins.) |Per cent. on time<3>|Target |Per cent. >2 mins. |Target
|operated (excluding |services (excess |early
|miles lost due to |waiting time
|traffic congestion) |(minutes) a new
|target)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 February 1992 |98.8 |98.0 |n/a |n/a |68.8 |65 |8.0 |6.0
29 February 1992 |99.0 |98.0 |n/a |n/a |69.3 |65 |7.4 |6.0
28 March 1992 |98.1 |98.0 |n/a |n/a |68.0 |65 |7.4 |6.0
25 April 1992 |99.1 |>98.5 |n/a |n/a |69.8 |>67 |6.9 |<5.5
23 May 1992 |99.0 |>98.5 |n/a |n/a |68.7 |>67 |7.2 |<5.5
20 June 1992 |98.9 |>98.5 |n/a |n/a |69.6 |>67 |6.9 |<5.5
18 July 1992 |98.9 |>98.5 |1.58 |<1.75 |70.8 |>67 |7.1 |<5.5
15 August 1992 |98.9 |>98.5 |1.39 |<1.75 |71.0 |>67 |7.0 |<5.5
12 September 1992 |99.0 |>98.5 |1.43 |<1.75 |70.0 |>67 |6.9 |<5.5
10 October 1992 |99.1 |>98.5 |1.71 |<1.75 |67.9 |>67 |6.0 |<5.5
7 November 1992 |99.0 |>98.5 |1.81 |<1.75 |68.8 |>67 |5.6 |<5.5
5 December 1992 |99.1 |>98.5 |1.96 |<1.75 |65.6 |>67 |5.7 |<5.5
2 January 1993 |99.1 |>98.5 |2.08 |<1.75 |62.9 |>67 |5.4 |<5.5
30 January 1993 |99.1 |>98.5 |1.60 |<1.75 |68.5 |>67 |5.6 |<5.5
27 February 1993 |99.2 |>98.5 |1.47 |<1.75 |71.6 |>67 |5.2 |<5.5
27 March 1993 |<4>94.1 |>98.5 |1.75 |<1.75 |69.0 |>67 |5.4 |<5.5
24 April 1993 |<5>95.2 |>98.5 |1.81 |<1.6 |68.9 |>68 |5.9 |<4.5
23 May 1993 |93.9 |>98.5 |1.99 |<1.6 |68.3 |>68 |5.5 |<4.5
19 June 1993 |96.9 |>98.5 |1.94 |<1.6 |68.7 |>68 |4.7 |<4.5
17 July 1993 |97.1 |>98.5 |1.94 |<1.6 |68.2 |>68 |5.4 |<4.5
14 August 1993 |97.5 |>98.5 |1.80 |<1.6 |67.6 |>68 |5.6 |<4.5
11 September 1993 |97.5 |>98.5 |1.78 |<1.6 |65.4 |>68 |5.9 |<4.5
9 October 1993 |97.9 |>98.5 |2.12 |<1.6 |59.3 |>68 |5.7 |<4.5
<1> Figures are based on London Transport's 4 weekly financial periods.
<2> Previous targets were set in December 1989 for achievement by April 1992 at the latest. All current targets were set on 29 June 1992 and are to be achieved by March 1994.
<3> Defined as no more than 2 minutes early or 5 minutes late.
<4> Mileage operated figures relate to period ending 31 March 1993.
<5> Mileage operated figures exclude four days at the beginning of this period which are included in preceding period.
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British Rail-Network SouthEast: Service performance since January 1992
|Chiltern Line |Great Eastern |Great Northern |Kent Coast |Kent Link |London Tilbury |North London Lines |Northampton Line |Solent and Wessex |South London Lines |South Western Lines|Sussex Coast |Thames Line |Thameslink |West Anglia
|Southend
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Punctuality (percentage of trains arriving within 5 minutes of scheduled times)
Target |88.0 |86.0 |90.0 |82.0 |88.0 |85.0 |85.0 |90.0 |86.0 |88.0 |88.0 |83.0 |80.0 |89.0
Four weeks ending:
31 January 1992 |88.0 |85.5 |93.0 |65.5 |78.0 |88.0 |80.5 |90.5 |82.5 |84.0 |86.5 |84.0 |82.0 |93.5 |89.5
29 February 1992 |93.0 |87.0 |92.5 |75.0 |81.0 |94.5 |80.5 |91.0 |76.5 |87.5 |87.5 |85.0 |76.5 |90.5 |92.5
28 March 1992 |93.0 |84.5 |94.0 |73.5 |83.5 |88.0 |87.5 |91.5 |88.5 |84.0 |92.0 |82.5 |89.5 |91.0 |92.5
25 April 1992 |95.1 |91.6 |94.0 |83.3 |89.1 |87.6 |91.7 |94.8 |93.1 |91.2 |95.1 |88.1 |90.4 |86.1 |92.0
23 May 1992 |90.7 |89.6 |94.3 |79.6 |86.8 |91.0 |95.3 |86.2 |92.3 |84.4 |92.2 |82.6 |85.2 |86.0 |89.2
20 June 1992 |96.2 |91.0 |93.2 |78.4 |83.5 |88.1 |93.4 |88.5 |88.0 |89.9 |92.1 |89.2 |88.4 |89.3 |92.5
18 July 1992 |97.9 |90.1 |95.1 |86.5 |86.4 |91.6 |91.1 |91.0 |83.9 |89.5 |88.3 |85.3 |84.4 |77.7 |89.0
18 August 1992 |96.6 |93.4 |90.8 |83.3 |90.1 |92.7 |94.3 |89.6 |91.8 |89.4 |92.5 |89.6 |83.6 |89.7 |93.6
12 September 1992 |98.2 |93.4 |94.5 |88.3 |92.6 |91.7 |98.6 |94.7 |97.1 |92.8 |96.7 |92.3 |86.9 |90.2 |95.1
10 October 1992 |95.7 |93.2 |88.2 |80.3 |91.4 |90.3 |93.2 |95.7 |89.9 |89.1 |92.488.2 |84.2 |86.0 |92.3
7 November 1992 |84.7 |89.3 |86.7 |66.4 |77.8 |89.4 |87.5 |90.3 |84.3 |78.3 |86.2 |77.7 |69.1 |76.4 |89.2
5 December 1992 |86.9 |85.7 |90.1 |68.8 |76.6 |85.6 |87.5 |89.6 |84.2 |82.3 |85.7 |78.7 |72.5 |79.8 |88.5
2 January 1993 |94.3 |84.1 |89.1 |81.3 |85.3 |93.3 |89.5 |82.7 |85.4 |87.6 |91.1 |78.6 |84.4 |87.1 |89.9
30 January 1993 |94.0 |88.3 |90.6 |83.5 |86.0 |90.7 |89.5 |89.2 |86.0 |91.4 |92.4 |85.0 |76.5 |87.8 |90.5
27 February 1993 |93.4 |91.2 |93.0 |76.5 |78.8 |94.3 |91.4 |91.4 |90.9 |94.4 |95.5 |89.2 |85.9 |90.6 |93.9
31 March 1993 |95.2 |92.6 |95.3 |63.5 |82.5 |95.2 |91.8 |91.7 |90.3 |91.7 |93.0 |91.3 |74.1 |89.1
New target |90.0 |86.0 |90.0 |82.0 |88.0 |85.0 |87.0 |90.0 |86.0 |88.0 |88.0 |83.0 |85.0 |89.0
24 April 1993 |96.3 |93.4 |94.4 |84.0 |89.2 |93.8 |92.2 |97.3 |88.3 |95.1 |95.0 |92.3 |83.0 |96.4 |93.5
22 May 1993 |97.1 |91.8 |93.8 |86.4 |88.5 |89.7 |91.4 |93.2 |88.9 |92.6 |93.3 |88.5 |84.6 |93.4 |93.7
19 June 1993 |95.9 |89.0 |93.8 |78.4 |88.3 |94.4 |87.3 |89.9 |86.7 |93.0 |92.2 |87.9 |78.0 |92.4 |90.8
17 July 1993 |97.8 |94.7 |93.8 |87.3 |88.8 |97.9 |91.7 |94.7 |93.1 |93.2 |94.0 |84.6 |68.6 |92.0 |96.0
14 August 1993 |97.3 |94.2 |93.7 |83.1 |85.8 |96.9 |94.2 |91.7 |91.3 |96.2 |94.1 |95.7 |80.3 |95.2 |98.2
11 September 1993 |96.2 |90.5 |96.0 |85.4 |86.9 |94.4 |94.3 |93.8 |92.0 |96.0 |97.5 |92.2 |84.1 |92.7 |99.0
9 October 1993 |97.2 |94.7 |93.9 |85.1 |85.5 |89.0 |90.8 |92.9 |90.7 |88.2 |95.1 |83.0 |84.8 |90.4 |95.9
5 November 1993 |93.3 |87.1 |88.8 |79.9 |78.2 |90.4 |86.0 |88.9 |76.2 |85.8 |88.1 |84.5 |81.9 |85.1
Reliability (percentage of trains run on weekdays)
Target |99.0 |99.0 |99.0 |98.0 |98.0 |97.0 |97.0 |99.0 |98.0 |97.0 |98.0 |99.0 |98.0 |99.0
Four weeks ending:
31 January 1992 |98.2 |99.4 |99.2 |99.0 |98.6 |97.2 |97.4 |99.6 |99.7 |99.2 |99.7 |99.9 |99.1 |98.7 |98.7
29 February 1992 |98.9 |98.3 |98.9 |99.3 |98.7 |97.7 |97.5 |99.3 |99.5 |99.0 |99.0 |99.8 |98.4 |98.9 |98.8
28 March 1992 |99.4 |98.8 |99.5 |98.9 |98.2 |97.8 |97.6 |99.1 |99.7 |98.4 |99.6 |99.9 |98.8 |98.5 |98.9
25 April 1992 |98.7 |99.0 |99.5 |99.5 |98.7 |95.9 |95.6 |99.6 |99.6 |98.4 |99.5 |99.8 |98.6 |96.3 |98.0
23 May 1992 |98.7 |99.1 |99.4 |99.3 |98.9 |98.0 |97.8 |99.4 |99.5 |97.4 |99.6 |99.5 |98.8 |98.5 |99.1
20 June 1992 |98.7 |99.2 |99.1 |99.5 |98.3 |98.3 |98.2 |98.4 |99.6 |98.0 |99.7 |99.6 |99.1 |99.7 |98.8
18 July 1992 |99.1 |99.0 |99.3 |99.3 |98.2 |95.8 |96.4 |99.5 |99.6 |97.5 |99.1 |99.3 |98.7 |98.2 |98.7
18 August 1992 |99.7 |98.9 |98.4 |99.4 |98.8 |96.7 |95.7 |99.6 |99.7 |97.4 |99.3 |99.5 |98.1 |98.7 |99.0
12 September 1992 |99.5 |99.3 |98.7 |99.4 |98.6 |98.2 |97.9 |99.9 |99.5 |96.1 |99.7 |99.4 |97.6 |98.8 |99.2
10 October 1992 |99.4 |99.2 |97.8 |99.5 |97.9 |97.5 |96.6 |99.8 |99.7 |97.0 |99.7 |99.7 |98.9 |98.8 |98.7
7 November 1992 |97.9 |98.8 |99.3 |99.5 |98.1 |98.5 |96.8 |99.1 |99.2 |96.7 |99.5 |99.1 |95.5 |99.4 |99.0
5 December 1992 |99.3 |98.6 |99.4 |98.4 |96.2 |97.8 |97.0 |99.7 |99.4 |97.8 |99.2 |99.6 |98.6 |98.9 |99.2
2 January 1993 |99.7 |98.5 |98.7 |99.4 |96.5 |98.2 |95.7 |99.3 |98.6 |97.6 |98.3 |99.8 |97.9 |99.4 |98.7
30 January 1993 |99.2 |99.3 |98.9 |99.6 |98.6 |98.1 |97.1 |98.8 |99.3 |99.0 |99.6 |99.8 |98.4 |99.4 |98.9
27 February 1993 |99.3 |99.1 |99.1 |99.6 |96.1 |98.2 |96.2 |99.7 |99.6 |98.7 |99.5 |99.5 |98.5 |98.9 |98.9
31 March 1993 |99.8 |99.6 |99.6 |99.6 |97.5 |98.1 |93.5 |98.1 |99.6 |98.4 |99.6 |99.9 |97.0 |99.3 |99.1
24 April 1993 |99.5 |99.6 |99.4 |99.7 |98.4 |98.4 |95.6 |100.0 |99.5 |99.0 |99.7 |99.9 |<1>98.5 |99.5 |99.2
22 May 1993 |99.6 |99.3 |99.3 |99.8 |97.8 |97.8 |96.0 |99.7 |99.8 |98.6 |99.8 |99.8 |98.9 |99.6 |99.2
19 June 1993 |99.5 |99.1 |98.3 |99.4 |97.4 |98.7 |95.4 |98.7 |99.3 |99.1 |99.6 |99.3 |95.1 |97.5 |98.3
17 July 1993 |99.5 |99.6 |98.9 |99.7 |97.4 |99.3 |98.8 |99.3 |99.8 |99.2 |98.0 |99.7 |97.8 |99.4 |98.7
14 August 1993 |99.4 |99.5 |98.6 |99.8 |98.5 |99.4 |96.6 |99.8 |99.4 |99.4 |99.6 |99.8 |98.8 |99.2 |99.5
11 September 1993 |99.7 |99.1 |99.4 |99.0 |97.1 |99.2 |98.3 |99.7 |99.6 |99.2 |99.5 |99.7 |98.6 |99.3 |99.5
9 October 1993 |99.8 |99.6 |99.5 |99.7 |97.9 |97.9 |97.0 |99.4 |99.7 |98.5 |99.6 |99.7 |98.3 |98.5 |99.4
5 November 1993 |99.2 |99.1 |98.7 |99.5 |97.8 |97.6 |97.4 |99.6 |99.4 |98.3 |99.5 |99.7 |97.8 |98.7 |98.5
Note:
<1>New target of 98.5 per cent. set in April 1993.
Road Contracts
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to improve control and project management of road contracts.
Mr. Key : A number of initiatives is in hand ranging from training in the techniques necessary for effective project management to the wider use of design and build forms of contract.
Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received the seventh annual report of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.
Mr. Freeman : The report has now been formally received by my right hon. Friend. Copies have today been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Marine Safety
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive from Lord Donaldson the report of the inquiry set up by him into aspects of marine safety.
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Mr. Norris : My right hon. Friend expects to receive the report of the inquiry chaired by Lord Donaldson in the early part of next year.
MV Braer
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has yet received the report from the Marine Accident Investigation Bureau on the grounding of the MV Braer off Shetland on 5 January ; and when he expects the publication of the report.
Mr. Norris : The Secretary of State has not yet received the report of the chief inspector of marine accidents into the grounding of the Braer, but expects to do so before the end of the year. Publication will follow as soon as practicable thereafter.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Sheep Dips
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she expects to be able to make a response to the Veterinary Products Committee report on organophosphorus sheep dips ; and if she will make a statement.
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Mr. Soames : The Veterinary Products Committee met on 21 October to consider the future authorisation of organophosphorus sheep dip products. A statement will be made shortly about the committee's advice and the Government's response.
Civil Servants
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list for each civil service grade in her Department (a) the total number of persons employed and (b) the total number of women employed.
Mr. Jack : The information set out as at 22 November 1993 relates to non-industrial staff in MAFF and its agencies.
|Total staff |Total number of
|women
----------------------------------------------------------------
Grade 1 |1 |0
Grade 2 |6 |1
Grade 3 |27 |2
Grade 4 |12 |0
Grade 5 |119 |12
Grade 6 |163 |16
Grade 7 |927 |162
SEO |983 |177
HEO |1,923 |575
EO |1,942 |890
AO |2,798 |1,796
AA |2,768 |1,960
|------- |-------
Total |11,669 |5,591
The figures are given by grade equivalent and include all permanent staff, casuals and staff on temporary release. Part-time staff are counted as 1.0.
Live Animals (Transport)
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions she is having to ensure a maximum eight-hour journey for the transport of live animals.
Mr. Soames : Negotiations are proceeding on Commission proposals for additional rules for the protection of animals during transport. The Commission examined the case for journey limits but concluded that they would be unenforceable.
Whales
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on progress towards a southern ocean sanctuary for whales.
Mr. Jack : At the 45th meeting of the International Whaling Commission, held in Japan in May this year, the United Kingdom made clear its support for the concept of a whale sanctuary in the Southern ocean. A number of the IWC contracting parties argued that they needed more time to study some of the detailed aspects of the sanctuary approach, such as the definition of boundaries, matters of jurisdiction and future research plans for such a sanctuary. The Commission decided to endorse the concept of the sanctuary and agreed to work to resolve outstanding issues at a special intersessional working group with a view to taking a final decision at the 46th meeting of the
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Commission next May. The intersessional working group is to take place in Australia in February next year. The United Kingdom will attend and will play a full and positive part in the group's deliberations.Farms
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farm holdings were registered with her Department in September.
Mr. Jack : A total of 194,000 farms, names and addresses were on the farm holdings list maintained by the Department in 1993.
Agriculture Staff
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff were employed in her Department and within agencies accountable to her dealing with agriculture in September.
Mr. Jack : Approximately 8,000 of the staff employed by the Department and its agencies deal with agriculture-related matters. This figure excludes ADAS staff working in Wales who are covered by the Welsh Office Agricultural Department's reply.
Farm-saved Seeds
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received on liability for royalty payments for farm-saved seeds in preparation for the November meeting of the EC Council of Agriculture Ministers ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 23 November 1993] : I have received a number of representations both from individual farmers and from some local branches of the National Farmers Union. The question of farm-saved seed is under current consideration as part of the draft EC proposal for a European plant variety rights scheme. The current proposals include a five- year, renewable, derogation that will enable farmers to continue saving seed of the varieties they use in this way at present without the payment of any royalty. For farm-saved seed of varieties not saved at present by individual farmers, a sensibly lower royalty will apply. Our aim in the negotiations will be to ensure that this principle is retained in the final regulation.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Welfare Benefits
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the taxation of welfare benefits, with particular reference to invalidity benefit.
Mr. Dorrell : It remains the Government's intention to bring invalidity benefit into taxation at a suitable opportunity.
Value Added Tax
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing for each member state of the European Economic Community the rates levied by value added tax on food in shops, household fuel,
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children's clothing, books, newspapers and magazines, public transport, water and sewage services, newly constructed homes, second-hand homes and the standard of tax most recently adopted together with notes that outline the most important distinctions where different rates are charged within each category.Sir John Cope : The information requested is shown in the table.
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VAT rates on various supplies in the EC
Rate of VAT
Country Food in shops<4> Household fuel Children's clothing Books Newspapers and Public transport Water and sewage Household Standard rate
magazines supplies purchase
|New<34> |Second-hand
|Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belgium |6 |12, <11>19.5 |19.5 |6 |0, 6 |6 |6, 19.5 |6, 12, 19.5 |Exempt |19.5
Denmark |25 |25 |25 |25 |0, 25 |Exempt, 25 |Exempt, 25 |25 |Exempt |25
France<1> |5.5, <5>18.6 |5.5, <12>18.6 |18.6 |5.5 |2.1 |0, 5.5 |18.6, 5.5 |18.6 |Exempt |18.6
Germany |7 |15 |15 |7 |7 |7, 15 |7, 15 |Exempt |Exempt |15
Greece<2> |8 (6) |8 <13>(6), |18, (13) |4 (3) |4 (3) |8 (6) |18 (13), |18,<36>(13) |<36>Exempt |18 (13)
|18, (13) |8 (6)
Ireland |0, <6>12.5 |12.5 |0 |0 |12.5 |Exempt |21 |12.5 |Exempt, 12.5 |21
Italy |4, 9, <7>12 |9, 12, <14>19 |12 |4 |4 |Exempt, 9, 12, 19 |19 |4, 19 |4, 19 |19
Luxembourg |3 |6, <15>12 |3 |3 |3 |15 |Exempt, 15 |Exempt |Exempt |15
Netherlands |6 |17.5 |17.5 |6 |6 |6, 17.5 |6, 17.5 |17.5 |Exempt |17.5
Portugal<3> |5 (4), |5 <16>(4),16 (12) |5 <19>(4) |5 <19>(4) |<27>0, 5 |5 (4), |<36>Exempt, |<36>Exempt, |16 (12)
|16 <8>(12) |16 (12) |16 <29>(12) 5 <38>(4)
Spain |3, <9>6 |15 |15 |3 |3 |6 |6 |3, 6, 15 |Exempt |15
United Kingdom 0, <10>17.5 0, 17.5 0 0 0 0, 17.5 0, 17.5 0, 17.5 Exempt, 0 17.5
Notes to table showing VAT rates applied to various supplies in the EC
1. The following rates apply generally in Corsica: 0.9 per cent., 2.1 per cent., 8 per cent. and 13 per cent.
2. The rate in brackets applies in the departments of Lesbos, Chios, the Dodecanese and the Cyclades, and in the island of Thasos, the Northern Sporades, Samothrace and Skyros. These special rates do not apply to goods sold from the rest of Greece to the Dodecanese, industrial-tobacco
products, ready petroleum products, electricity or the supply of services.
3. The rates in brackets apply in the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores Archipelagoes.
4. Excluding luxury foods.
5. Sweets, ice-cream and margarine are subject to the standard rate of 18.6 per cent.
6. Cakes, crackers and wafers as well as biscuits and chocolate biscuits are subject to the reduced rate of 12 per cent. Alcohol and soft drinks other than fruit juices are subject to 21 per cent. VAT in all circumstances, as is all food and drink supplied through a vending machine.
7. The lowest rate applies to essential foodstuffs such as bread and pasta. 12 per cent. applies to lobsters and oysters, lobster and oyster preserve, puffed cereal, meat extracts and meat juices, sauces, condiments, soup and broth.
8. The lower rate applies to unprepared foodstuffs.
9. 3 per cent applies to ordinary bread, breadmaking flour and cereals, milk, cheese, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables.
10. Food such as ice-cream, chocolate and confectionery, alcoholic and soft drinks, potato crisps are subject to the standard rate of 17.5 per cent.
11. The reduced rate applies coal and peat.
12. The standing charge is subject to 5.5 per cent and the actual supply of heating to 18.6 per cent.
13. Wood is subject to the reduced rate.
14. The following are subject to 9 per cent.: wood; electricity and gas for domestic and some industrial uses (excluding gas for domestic heating) and oil. Coal is subject to 12 per cent.
15. The 6 per cent. rate applies to gas and electricity; wood, oil and coal are subject to 12 per cent.
16. 5 per cent. applied to electricity and oil.
17. Fuel for business use is subject to the standard rate of 17.5 per cent. Domestic fuel will be subject to a temporary rate of 8 per cent. from 1 April 1994 and then to the standard rate from 1 April 1995.
18. Obscene and pornographic material is generally standard rated except in Portugal, where the increased rate applies (30 per cent. in the mainland and 21 per cent. in the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores archipelagoes).
19. Providing they are considered in the legislation covering these items to be of a cultural, education, recreational or sporting nature.
20. Magazines and newspapers which appear at least 50 times a year and whose aim is to educate or entertain the general public are subject to the zero rate.
21. 25 per cent. applies to magazines; 0 per cent. to newspapers.
22. Transport on regular services is exempt, but on chartered buses is taxable at 25 per cent.
23 0 per cent. applies to transport in one of the French overseas departments, including Corsica, or overseas territories, by ship or plane.
24. 7 per cent. applies to transport by rail (excluding funicular railways), in overhead system electric coaches in licensed passenger road transport services and taxis, and on ferries, provided that such transport either takes place within a town or does not exceed 50 kilometres in
length. The reduced rate also applies to the transport of employees between their home and work place by employers in their own name and for their own account.
25. Exemption applies to transport between towns and less than 50 kilometres apart; 9 per cent. applies to transportation in certain vehicles; 12 per cent. applies to air passenger transport.
26. 6 per cent. applies to transport by rail, tramway or trolleybus, or on ships or ferries, as well as by means of taxi, and aircraft (if the place of departure and arrival are both in the Netherlands).
27. 0 per cent. applies to transport between Madeira, the Azores and mainland Portugal.
28. 0 per cent. applies to the following passenger transport: in any vehicle, ship or aircraft designed or adapted to carry not less than twelve passengers; by the Post Office; or on any scheduled flight.
29. The reduced rate applies to the supply of water; the standard rate to sewage services.
30. Exempt applies to supplies of water in connection with the letting of a house or premises.
31. The standard rate applies to the supply of water; the reduced rate to sewage services.
32. Exemption applies if supplied to joint owners or lessees of apartment buildings by a union of joint owners for the management of property.
33. 17.5 per cent. applies to supplies made to industry.
34. In general, sales of new housing are exempt except where they are sold by a building contractor.
35. 6 per cent. applies to housing for the handicapped; 12 per cent. applies to social housing.
36. There is the option to tax under certain conditions.
37. 4 per cent. applies to certain social housing.
38. 5 per cent. applies to certain constructions of housing by housing associations or local government bodies.
39. 3 per cent. applies to certain buildings defined as having official protection status; 6 per cent. applies to the joint supply dwellings and their garages and outbuildings.
40. The zero rate applies if sold by the constructor.
41. 12.5 per cent. applies if the property was developed since 31 October 1972 and if the input tax was entitled to be reclaimed.
42. The zero rate applies providing the building is listed and has been substantially reconstructed.
Charities
Mr. Burden : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response he has made to the report of the Charities Tax Reform Group regarding the tax paid by charities in 1992 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Cope : The hon. Member would not expect me to make a statement on taxation matters at this time.
Community Duties
Mr. Kinnock : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards encouraging employers to allow employees paid time off from work to permit them to fulfil elected and non-elected public and community duties on statutory bodies.
Mr. Dorrell : Employees who serve in a public capacity as specified in section 29 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 are generally entitled to reasonable time off work to carry out their duties. Whether they should be paid for such time off is for employers and employees to agree between themselves. However, we encourage employers who are able to assist employees to undertake these important duties by whatever means are appropriate to their circumstances.
Tax Fraud
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions were brought in each of the last five years as the result of tax fraud ; and how many of these related to false accounts and income returns.
Mr. Dorrell : I refer the hon. Member to the annual report of the board of Inland Revenue for 1992-93--Appendix 1, table 6--copies of which were laid before Parliament on 29 September 1993.
Manufacturing
Dr. Howells : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest gross domestic product figures for manufacturing in England, Scotland and Wales.
Mr. Nelson : Gross domestic product figures for manufacturing for England, Scotland and Wales for 1991 were published in the December 1992 issue of "Economic Trends".
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More recent figures for United Kingdom manufacturing are available from the CSO database and can be accessed by the House of Commons Library.The Scottish Office and Welsh Office publish their own quarterly series for manufacturing output. The latest Welsh figures were published on 13 October in a news release "Welsh Index of Production and Construction 2nd quarter 1993". Scottish figures were published on 10 November in a news release "Index of Production and Construction for Scotland for the second quarter 1993". These are also available from the House of Commons Library.
Similar information for England is not available.
Capital Allowances
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the increase in first-year capital allowances for investment in plant and machinery which was announced in the autumn statement of 1992 to cover the period 1 November 1992 to the end of October 1993 cost in 1992-93 ; and how much it has cost so far in 1993-94.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 23 November 1993] : Available estimates of the direct revenue effects of enhanced capital allowances announced in the 1992 autumn statement are as follows :
£ million
1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95 |1995-96
|(yield +ve/cost -ve)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
nil |-200 |-700 |+50
The effects include enhanced allowances for industrial and agricultural buildings but the majority is accounted for by allowances for plant and machinery. The estimates are provisional. Information is not yet available from tax assessments for the relevant period.
EMPLOYMENT
Disabled People
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans the Government have to improve the employment prospects of disabled people.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Government will continue to seek improved employment prospects for disabled
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people through a programme of educating and persuading employers as well as by providing wide-ranging and effective practical help. Specific plans include the introduction of "Access to Work" on 1 April 1994, which will provide more flexible employment help for a greater range of disabled people, for example, communication support for deaf people, and support workers for people with severe physical disabilities, mental illness or learning disabilities. We have also published a consultation document with proposals for improving the way in which the sheltered employment programme can help severely disabled people.London University (Redundancies)
Mr. Gapes : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those colleges which are full schools of the university of London and have declined to pay redundant employees statutory redundancy pay in 1992 and 1993 ; and what action he proposes to take against colleges which have refused to reimburse his Department.
Miss Widdecombe : Disputes about entitlement to statutory redundancy payments are matters for the employer and employee(s) concerned, for determination by an industrial tribunal if necessary. A statutory redundancy payment was made by the Department to a former employee of Goldsmiths' college in March 1993 following an award by an industrial tribunal. The provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 enable the Department to seek recovery of the payment from the employer. The Department takes all reasonable steps to recover such debts.
ABB Transportation Ltd.
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people made redundant by ABB Transportation Ltd. in York in the past three months have (a) claimed unemployment benefit, (b) been paid unemployment benefit, (c) had their unemployment benefit suspended and (d) had their unemployment benefit reinstated without loss of benefit.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 24 November 1993 :
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about people made redundant by ABB Transportation Ltd. who had claimed unemployment benefit, been paid unemployment benefit, been suspended from payment of unemployment benefit, and whose unemployment benefit had been reinstated. This is something which falls within the responsibilities he has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
Unfortunately, the information is not available. No records are kept on the number of clients claiming benefit who have been made redundant from a particular firm, or about the status of their claim. This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. I am sorry I cannot be of help on this occasion.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
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Social Affairs Council
Mr. Duncan-Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EC Social Affairs Council held on 23 November.
Mr. David Hunt : I and the Minister of State for Employment attended the meeting of the Labour and Social Affairs Council held on 23 November.
Final agreement was reached on the draft directive on working time. The agreement retains all the key changes which the United Kingdom had secured in the earlier common position. In particular : the right for individual workers to work more than 48 hours a week if they wish ;
that Sunday working should remain a matter for national law ; and provision to allow company and plant agreements to derogate from the main provisions of the directive.
In the Government's view, however, the directive represents a misuse of the health and safety provisions of the Single European Act and accordingly the Government will be challenging the legal base of the directive in the European Court of Justice.
Final agreement was also reached on the draft directive on the protection of workers on board fishing vessels, following consideration of the European Parliament's comments.
The Council also reached a common position on the draft directive on the protection of young workers on which a political agreement to meet our concerns had been reached at the last Council. The common position confirms the United Kingdom's renewable option not to implement the key parts of articles 8 and 9 of the draft directive dealing with daily and weekly hours of work and restrictions on night work for 16 and 17-year-olds and ensures that young people below school leaving age can continue, as now, to undertake light work such as newspaper deliveries from the age of 13 on the same basis as at present.
The Council also discussed the draft directives on parental leave and on the burden of proof in the area of equal pay and equal treatment for women and men. On neither was an agreement reached. A number of member states, including the United Kingdom, continue to have difficulties with thethe Commission's draft White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment. He also reported that, on the draft directive on European works councils, the Commission had initiated the process of consultation under the agreement of the Eleven set out in the protocol to the Maastricht treaty. The Council was also given brief progress reports on the draft directives on non-standard employment and the posting of workers.
There was also a discussion on a proposed Community programme on social exclusion, to follow the current Poverty 3 programme. Opinions were divided on the timing of any new programme and the size of its budget.
Finally a declaration was agreed to mark the end of the European Year of Older People and Solidarity between Generations.
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SCOTLAND
Farm Holdings
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farm holdings were registered with his Department in September.
Sir Hector Monro : Including common grazings, the total of farm holdings recorded with the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department on the agricultural census file on 22 November 1993 is 52, 383. Since this file is continuously updated it is not possible to provide figures as at September. However, the September total is unlikely to be significantly different from the above quoted figure.
Agriculture Agencies
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff were employed within his Department and within agencies accountable to him dealing with agriculture in September.
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Mr. Lang : At 1 October 1993 the number of staff employed within my Department and executive agencies dealing with agriculture was 1,046.
School Meals
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the results of the annual census of school meals in Scotland held in January 1993 ; and what were the corresponding 1992 results.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information is set out in the table. The number of pupils taking school meals has continued to increase, despite a fall in the number of pupils present on census day. Just over half the pupils present on census day took school meals with a further estimated 17.9 per cent. bringing their own food to school. Free meals formed 31 per cent. of the total meals provided. Cafeteria style meals remain more popular than two-course fixed meals.
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Education authority schools (including nursery and special schools)
1992 1993
|Number |As percentage of|Number |As percentage of
|pupils present |pupils present
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pupils present on census day |695,201 |- |687,081 |-
Pupils taking school meals
-on payment |227,740 |32.8 |238,493 |34.7
-free |107,186 |15.4 |107,709 |15.7
-Total |334,926 |48.2 |346,202 |50.4
Pupils bringing their own food to
school<1> |132,263 |19.0 |122,812 |17.9
<1>A number of pupils took neither school meals nor brought food to school. These pupils would generally either have
gone home for lunch or have eaten out locally.
A detailed statement of the returns from education authorities from which these national figures are derived is being placed in the Library.
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The following table shows, as a percentage of pupils attending their respective sectors, those primary and secondary pupils taking meals or bringing their own food.Column 73
Primary Secondary
|<1>1992 |<2>1993 |<3>1992 |<4>1993
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pupils taking school meals |52.9 |55.2 |46.1 |47.8
Pupils bringing own food |27.6 |26.9 |8.4 |6.2
<1>Includes 14 special departments where data have been included in primary
school figures.
<2>Includes 3 special and 3 nursery departments where data has been included
in primary school figures.
<3>Includes 17 special departments where special data have been included in
secondary school figures.
<4>Includes 1 primary and 9 special departments where data has been included
in secondary school figures.
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Sixty seven per cent. of all meals served are cafeteria style:
1992 1993
|Paid |Free |Total |Percentage of pupils|Paid |Free |Total |Percentage of pupils
|present |present
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pupils taking fixed meals |71,824 |35,260 |107,084 |15.4 |77,690 |37,047 |114,737 |16.7
Pupils taking cafeteria meals |155,916 |71,926 |227,842 |32.7 |160,803 |70,662 |231,465 |33.7
Council Tax
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many appeals against liability for the council tax have been made this year in Scotland ; what is the average length of time taken to hear these appeals ; and what proportion of appeals was successful.
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Mr. Stewart [holding answer 23 November 1993] : Scottish local authority finance departments have notified the Scottish Office of a total of six appeals against liability for the council tax, lodged in the period up to September 1993. All these appeals were withdrawn by the appellants.
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Amkor Anam Europe Ltd.
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money his Department has recovered in grant assistance from Amkor Anam Europe Ltd. following the closure of its Irvine plant in November 1992.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 23 November 1993] : I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 5 November, c. 241.
Maternity Benefits
Mr. Connarty : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will extend the provision of statutory maternity benefits to adoptive mothers.
Mr. Hague : I have been asked to reply.
Statutory maternity pay and maternity allowance provide a measure of earnings replacement to help working women give up work around the time of the birth in the interests of their own and their unborn baby's health. There are no plans to extend maternity benefits to mothers of adopted children.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Nuclear Reprocessing
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to place on the agenda of the meeting between the European Community Foreign Affairs Council and the United States Government the proliferation consequences for global security policies of the planned expansion of reprocessing capacity at nuclear facilities in the EC.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The date and the agenda for the next meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council and the United States Government have not yet been fixed.
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