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Local Government Commission : LondonLondon Pensions Fund Authority : London
London Residuary Body : London
National Rivers Authority : Bristol, Birmingham, Bridgewater, Exeter, Leeds, London, Newcastle upon Tyne, Peterborough, Reading, Solihull, Warrington, Worthing, Cardiff, plus 89 district offices, 121 depots and 27 fish farms and laboratories
Rural Development Commission : Salisbury, London, Bedford, Belper, Bingham, Bury St Edmonds, Darlington, Dorchester, Exeter, Goole, Lewes, Maidstone, Malvern, Moreton-in-Marsh, Morpeth, Nantwich, Newport (Isle of Wight), Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Penrith, Preston, Skelton, Sleaford, Stoneleigh Park, Taunton, Telford, Truro, Winchester
United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board : London
Urban Development Corporations : Birmingham (Black Country and Heartlands), Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Docklands), Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Plymouth, Sheffield,
Stockton-On-Tees
Advisory NDPBs
Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council : Birmingham
Local Government Staff Commission : London
Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution : London
Tribunals
Commons Commission : London
Rent Assessment Panels : Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Ipswich, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, Plymouth, Southampton, Watford, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow Valuation Tribunals : Aylesbury, Birmingham, Bolton, Botley, Bridlington, Cheltenham, Chester, Chesterfield, Chichester, Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, Croydon, Darlington, Doncaster, Dudley, Eastbourne, Harrow, Hertford, Horncastle, Hounslow, Ilford, Ipswich, Leamington Spa, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Maidstone, Middlesbrough, North Shields, Norwich, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Preston, Southampton, Stafford, Whitehaven, Winchester, Witham, Woking, Wokingham, Worcester, Yeovil. (There are also Tribunal offices in Cardiff, Carmarthen, Colwyn Bay and Newport.)
Other Bodies
British Waterways Board (Nationalised Industry) : Watford, Bilston, Bradford, Bromsgrove, Burton-on-Trent, Castleford, Devizes, Ellesmere, Enfield, Gloucester, Hemel Hempstead, Lancaster, Leeds, London (Paddington), Loughborough, Manchester, Northwich, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Rugby, Stafford, Tamworth, Tring, Warwick, Wigan, York, Abergavenny, Argyll, Falkirk, Glasgow, Inverness.
Commission for Local Administration : London, Coventry, York. Office of Water Services (OFWAT) : Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Exeter, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Cardiff. Notes :
1. For Agencies and NDPBs, where only one office is listed this is the headquarters ; every Housing Action Trust and Urban Development Corporation has one office. For organisations with more than one office, headquarters offices are shown in italics.
2. Where an organisation operates in a very large number of locations, the main ones have been listed and numbers given for the rest.
3. Offices in Wales and Scotland are shown for organisations operating throughout Great Britain.
4. Other advisory NDPBs operate from the Department's offices in London.
Communication Masts
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make the erection of communication masts subject to the normal local authority planning procedures ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 17 December 1993] : I have no plans to change the selective planning controls over the erection of telecommunication masts which were introduced in January 1993. The erection of masts up to 15 m in height has a general planning permission, under the Town and Country
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Planning General Development Order 1988. But if a local planning authority considers that a proposed mast would threaten amenity, it may determine that prior approval is required for its siting and appearance. The mast may not then be erected without that approval. A planning application is required for masts above 15 m, and in protected areas such as conservation areas and areas of outstanding natural beauty.I am satisfied that these powers strike a reasonable balance between the need to protect amenity and the needs of the telecommunications industry.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Children's Homes
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to exempt residential establishments which care for children with multiple handicaps who require a very warm atmosphere and which are labour intensive (a) from VAT on fuel and (b) from bearing the cost of statutory sick pay.
Sir John Cope : VAT is designed as a broad-based tax on general consumer expenditure. In line with this principle the changes in the taxation of fuel and power will apply across the board to all consumers. Special treatment or particular sectors would produce inconsistencies. The revenue and environmental objectives of the changes would be put at risk. It is far better to provide extra financial help to those who need it via the benefit system, and this is what the Government have done.
Subject to parliamentary approval, the Statutory Sick Pay Bill 1993 will end the reimbursement of 80 per cent. of employers' SSP costs from April 1994. At the same time, employers' national insurance contributions will be reduced to ensure that employers as a whole are more than compensated for their additional SSP costs. Small employers will receive further help in the form of full reimbursement of any SSP paid after four weeks' sick absence.
Grace and Favour Accommodation
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis and how frequently (a) grace and favour accommodation and (b) accommodation for members of the royal family no longer on the civil list at the occupied royal palaces is assessed for taxable value ; when the last assessment was ; what is the gross value of these assessments ; and on how many of each category tax is actually paid.
Mr. Dorrell : The same income tax rules apply to grace and favour accommodation as to other living accommodation. Accommodation which is taxable is assessed each year along with other income. The information requested by the hon. Member about the number and value of assessments on grace and favour accommodation is not held centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. As regards the tax affairs of certain members of the royal family, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 December 1993 at column 844.
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Quangos
Mr. Meale : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the names of all individuals who are or were members of the House of Lords who since 1979 have been appointed to any quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations, excluding appointments as justices of the peace, giving in each case the title of the post, any salary payable and the duration of the appointment.
Mr. Nelson : Since 1979 the following members of the House of Lords have held appointments on quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations for which I have responsibility :
(a) Securities and Investments Board (SIB) :
Lord Runciman : non-executive director ; duration of appointment four years from 1986 ; salary £8,000 pa in 1986 to £10,500 in 1989. Deputy chairman ; duration of appointment four years from 1990 ; salary £32,500 pa.
Lord Stewartby : non-executive director ; duration of appointment two years from 1993 ; salary £13,500 pa.
Lord Alexander of Weedon : Deputy chairman ; duration of appointment three years from 1994 ; salary £32,500 pa.
(b) Financial Services Tribunal (FST) :
Lord Grantchester : chairman ; duration of appointment three years from 1988 to 1991 ; paid a daily fee for work done.
Mr. Meale : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the names of all former British representative members in the European Parliament who since 1979 have been appointed to quasi-autonomous non- governmental organisations, excluding appointments as justices of the peace, giving in each case the title of the post, any salary payable and the duration of the appointment.
Mr. Nelson : Since 1979 no former British representative members in the European Parliament have held appointments on quasi-autonomous non- governmental organisations for which I have responsibility.
Exchange Rate
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the reduction in the sterling exchange rate since (a) August 1992 and (b) February 1993 in terms of 1990 weights for United Kingdom imports plus United Kingdom exports of manufacturers ; and what are the corresponding figures for the ecu and non-ecu currencies ;
(2) if the country weights used in the Bank of England index covers total United Kingdom imports as well as United Kingdom exports ; (3) what is the reduction in the rate of exchange between sterling and non-ecu currencies since (a) August 1992 and (b) February 1993 ; and if he will publish a table showing the rate of exchange for sterling against non-ecu currencies for each year since 1970 ; (4) what was the composition of the Bank of England index for the pound sterling, together with the weights attached to each currency, in 1975 and 1985 ; and what was the equivalent for 1990 in each case.
Mr. Nelson : Figures for the sterling exchange rate on the dates requested and corresponding figures for separate EC and non-EC currencies can be found in the monthly CSO "Financial Statistics" publication and in the monthly OECD "Main Economic Indicators" publication. A single exchange rate index against non-EC currencies is not available. Sterling exchange rates in terms of 1990 weights for United Kingdom imports and exports could be
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constructed from data in the CSO "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", but only at disproportionate cost. A table of rates of exchange of sterling against separate non-EC currencies for each year since 1970 could be reproduced only at disproportionate cost. From 2 February 1981 to 2 January 1989 the weights of the Bank of England sterling exchange rate index were based on average trade flows at 1977, with a base year of 1975. From 3 January 1989 to the present day, weights have been based on disaggregated trade flows at 1980 with a base year of 1985. The weighted composition and methodological construction of the sterling exchange rate index at the dates requested are available in the Treasury "Economic Progress Report" for March 1977 and the Bank of England "Quarterly Bulletins" for March 1981 and November 1988.Sovereign Immunity
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 16 December, Official Report , column 842 , in which OECD states sovereign immunity arrangements in respect of repayment of taxes upon business are more severe than in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Dorrell : The arrangements which most OECD countries adopt in this area are not statutory and comprehensive information about their practice is not available. An exception is the United States of America which, under section 892 of the IRS code, provides a statutory exemption for the investment income of foreign Governments. Although details are not available, I understand that a number of other OECD countries adopt a similar approach in practice.
Unified Budget
Mr. Luff : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the impact of the date of the unified budget on retail sales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : I have received a number of letters on this subject. The Government recognise the importance of pre-Christmas consumer expenditure to businesses, especially retailers, and will continue to take this factor into account in deciding the most appropriate dates for future Budgets.
Fears that retail sales would suffer this year in the run-up to the Budget in November have, however, proved groundless. Retail sales have been on a strong upward trend for over a year, and stand at record levels. In the three months to November--the three months before the Budget--they were 3.6 per cent. up on the equivalent period in 1992.
Customs and Excise
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the losses in customs and excise duties arising from the operation of the European single market and cross-channel shopping ; and how this has changed from previous estimates.
Sir John Cope : I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 10 December at column 403. The latest estimate of the total revenue loss--£175 million--compares with an estimate of £250 million published in March 1992.
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Sir Teddy Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total net payment to the EC since 1 January 1973.
Mr. Nelson : The United Kingdom's total net contribution to the European Communities' budget from 1973 to 1993 is £20 billion.
Barlow Clowes Group
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list the names and addresses of the parties he has brought legal proceedings against in connection with the affairs of the collapsed Barlow Clowes Group.
Mr. Nelson : In the course of proceedings against third parties to reduce the cost to the taxpayer of its ex gratia payments scheme for Barlow Clowes investors, the Government have issued over 500 writs. The details of these writs could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Customs and Excise, Gatwick
Mr. Madden : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many passengers arriving at Gatwick in charter or scheduled flights from the Caribbean on 21 December 1993 were strip searched ; what sex the passengers were who were strip searched ; what illegal substances were discovered ; how many passengers objected to or refused to be strip searched ; and under what powers passengers are strip searched.
(2) what illegal substances were found by Customs and Excise officers on passengers from Jamaica who arrived on charter or scheduled flights from the Caribbean arriving at Gatwick on 21 December 1993 ; if he will give details of the circumstances ; and how many passengers were charged with any related offences ; (3) how many Customs and Excise officers were on duty during the day at Gatwick South Terminal on 7 December 1993 : 14 December 1993 ; 21 December 1993 : 28 December 1993 and 4 January 1994.
Sir John Cope : On 21 December 1993 a total of three passengers--two males and one female--arriving at Gatwick on flights from the Caribbean were subject to strip search by Customs. No objections were raised and no passenger refused to be strip searched. No illegal substances were found on the passengers searched. In the search of passengers, Customs act within the provisions of section 164 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.
No illegal substances were found by Customs on any passenger arriving from Jamaica who arrived on charter or scheduled flights from the Caribbean arriving at Gatwick on 21 December 1993. Consequently no passengers were charged with any related offences. The only staff based specifically at Gatwick south terminal are those who deal with demand-led activities such as duty collection, VAT retail export schemes, custody officers and so on. The numbers of these for the dates in question are as follows :
|Staff
-----------------------------
7 December 1993 |15
14 December 1993 |15
21 December 1993 |16
28 December 1993 |21
4 January 1994 |14
For anti-smuggling purposes, including intelligence and investigation, Customs staff are not based at any particular terminal at Gatwick but are required to respond to the perceived risk at any given time. The total number of these staff on duty at Gatwick on the days listed was as follows :
|Anti-Smuggling |Intell. and Invest.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 December 1993 |75 |23
14 December 1993 |67 |25
21 December 1993 |55 |22
28 December 1993 |66 |17
4 January 1994 |57 |17
Stamp Duty Reserve Tax
Mr. Dykes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received on the issue of the imposition of stamp duty reserve tax on American depositary receipts issued on behalf of United Kingdom companies ; and from whom.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 17 December 1993] : I have received a few representations on this matter.
Mr. Dykes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made about the impact of stamp duty reserve tax on rights and scrip issues arising from American depositary receipts issued on behalf of United Kingdom companies on inward investment into the United Kingdom ;
(2) if he will outline the Government's policy on the taxation of rights offers and scrip issues taken up by American shareholders of American depositary receipts issued on behalf of United Kingdom companies.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 17 December 1993] : Higher rate stamp duty reserve tax applies to all new shares going into depositary receipt form, including rights and scrip issues. This reflects the fact that stamp duty reserve is not charged on transactions in the depositary receipts themselves. These arrangements provide a fair balance between investment in depositary receipt form and investment through direct shareholdings.
Civil Servants
Mr. Burns : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the regional distribution of the civil service has changed since the Government's current relocation policy was introduced in March 1988 ; and what plans he has for monitoring and reporting the relocation of civil servants.
Mr. Dorrell : Under the Government's delegated relocation policy it is for departments and agencies to review the location of their work regularly and systematically with the intention of locating where best value for money is offered.
The annual publication "Civil Service Statistics" records the regional distribution of civil servants by Department. The 1993 edition shows that between 1 April 1988 and 1 April 1993, influenced by relocation and location decisions, the number of non-industrial civil servants in London and the south-east reduced by nearly 7,000 while the numbers outside the south-east increased by over 4,600. Departments and agencies have also moved civil servants between regions outside the south-east.
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The Government intend to continue monitoring the location of civil servants and publishing the results in "Civil Service Statistics", thereby making evident the changing regional distribution of the civil service. This monitoring will continue, but central monitoring of decisions to relocate civil service posts will be ended.HOUSE OF COMMONS
Exhibitions
Ms Armstrong : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to Voluntary Service Overseas, to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
Mr. Michael J. Martin : I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 21 February to Friday 25 February.
Mr. Milligan : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the "BBC Marshall Plan of the Mind" to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
Mr. Michael J. Martin : I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 28 February to Friday 4 March.
Data and Video Network
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee what consideration has been given to allowing access via the parliamentary data and video network to Government computer data bases which are accessible by the public ; and if he will list those data bases which have been considered.
Mr. Waller : The Central Office of Information press data base is the only Government computer data base accessible by the public which is at present available as part of the parliamentary data and video network pilot experiment. It contains the text of press notices issued by some Government Departments, and is available via the POLIS service.
The Library of the House already subscribes to various data bases and is considering the possibility of providing the United Kingdom official publications, census and other data bases, available on CD-ROM, over the network. The Information Committe hopes to publish its report on the parliamentary data and video network early in 1994. Any decisions involving increased funding for the PDVN will need to await that report and its consideration by the House.
Stationery
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what was the total amount of stationery issued to each hon. Member during the year 1992-93 in terms of (a) sheets of paper, (b) franked envelopes and (c) unfranked envelopes.
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Mr. Michael J. Martin : During the period from 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993 7,279,870 sheets of paper ; 4,807,376 post paid envelopes and cards ; and 1,080,735 unfranked envelopes were issued to Members.
Visitors
Mr. Gapes : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he will carry out a survey of the number of visitors in the public gallery at 3 pm, 5 pm, 7 pm, 9 pm and 11 pm on Monday 17 January, Tuesday 18 January, Wednesday 19 January, Thursday 20 January and at 11 am on Friday 21 January 1994 or other suitable dates ; and if he will publish the results.
Mr. Michael J. Martin : The Serjeant at Arms has undertaken to conduct a survey of the kind suggested ; and will write to the hon. Member in due course.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Special Advisers
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the name and job description of each special ministerial adviser employed in his Department showing any particular outputs for which each adviser is responsible.
Mr. Scott : My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has one special adviser, Mr. Peter Barnes. His duties vary.
Family Benefits
Sir David Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing (a) the number of United Kingdom families with children and (b) the numbers of United Kingdom children, dependent on family income supplement or family credit in 1979, 1989 and 1992.
Mr. Burt : The information provided is for Great Britain only :
|1979 |1989 |1992
|(000's) |(000's) |(000's)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of families with
dependent children |<1>7,100 |<2>7,100 |<3>6,900
Number of dependent children |<1>13,500|<2>12,900|<3>12,500
Number of families receiving
Family Income Supplement or
Family Credit |<4>76 |<5>313 |<6>656
Number of dependent children in
families receiving Family
Income Supplement or Family
Credit |- |<5>435 |<6>903
Notes:
Information about the number of children in families receiving Family
Income Supplement in July 1979 is not available.
Sources:
<1> Based on Child Benefit statistics.
<2> 1989 Labour Force Survey.
<3> Based on Child Benefit statistics.
<4> Social Security Statistics: information for 31 July 1979.
<5> Five per cent. sample of Family Credit recipients at 31 July 1989.
<6> Five per cent. sample of Family Credit recipients at 31 July 1992.
Social Security statistics for Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
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Entertainment
Mr. O'Hara : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will itemise under heads of expenditure how the budget for entertainment within his Department was expended in the financial year 1992-93.
Mr. Hague : The Department does not have a budget for entertainment. Any such expenditure is met from within the budget for hospitality. I refer the hon. Member to answers I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 20 October 1993, at column 247, 23 November 1993, at columns 34-35, and 30 November 1993, at column 450.
Benefits
Mr. Luff : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he will take to ensure that those claimants for the new incapacity benefit who suffer from diseases with cyclical patterns such as ME are not disadvantaged by the objective medical test for the benefit.
Mr. Scott : Claimants with such conditions will not be disadvantaged. Doctors from the Benefits Agency medical services, who will apply the new more objective medical test, will be required to consider the effect of conditions on ability to work over a period of time not merely at the point when they conduct the medical examination or when the claimant completes the questionnaire.
Family Credit
Mr. Chisholm : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what percentage of lone parents on family credit receive (a) the maximum applicable level of family credit, (b) within £10 of the maximum applicable level of family credit and (c) within £20 of the maximum applicable level of family credit ;
(2) what percentage of families on family credit receive (a) the maximum applicable level of family credit, (b) within £10 of the maximum applicable level of family credit and (c) within £20 of the maximum applicable level of family credit.
Mr. Burt : The information is in the table.
L
|Lone parents|All cases
|percentage |percentage
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Families receiving maximum
family credit |28 |24
Families receiving within £10 of the
maximum family credit |43 |35
Families receiving within £20 of the
maximum family credit |58 |47
Source: Five per cent. sample of family credit recipients at 30 April 1993.
Quangos
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the names of all former hon. Members who since 1979 have been appointed to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations, excluding appointments as justices of the peace, giving in each case the title of the post, any salary payable and the duration of the appointment.
Mr. Hague : The available information covering appointments or reappointments since 1979 is as follows. All are non salaried positions.
The information requested is not readily available for the independent tribunal service and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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