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Column 351
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 17 January 1994
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Ministerial Cars
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will quantify the cost of the factors which led to an increase in the cost of cars for Ministers in his Department since 1990-91.
Mr. Goodlad : The Government car service--GCS--provides cars for Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers. Increases in GCS charges since 1990-91 are due to the following factors :
(i) GCS prices for its standard service were increased by 12 per cent. from 1 July 1990 and again by 10 per cent. from 1 January 1991 ;
(ii) the basis for provision of a protected car was also changed. Prior to 1 April 1992, GCS purchased the base car while the user Department funded the one-off cost of protection. From 1 April 1992, GCS charges for a protected vehicle were increased by 54 per cent. to take account of the full cost of providing a protected car, amortised over its five-year lifespan ;
(iii) Value added tax on GCS bills increased from 15 to 17.5 per cent. on 1 April 1991.
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make arrangements for the Data Protection Registrar to inspect relevant contracts with suppliers of IT services that involve the use of personal data held by his Department in order to check whether all appropriate arrangements in relation to the Data Protection Act 1984 have been made, and whether such contracts make provisions for the registrar to make random inspections in order to check the suppliers' compliance with the eighth data protection principle.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : When IT services are contracted out by a data user, the contractor and the user will be subject to the application of the data protection principles and to the registrar's powers to promote compliance with them, as provided for in the Act. It is for the registrar to decide how he will use his powers under the Act, and I do not consider that any further arrangements are necessary for him to discharge his duties effectively.
Sudan
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Sudanese Government on the question of human rights violations in southern Sudan.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We take every suitable opportunity, both bilaterally and in concert with our European Union partners, to express our concern to the Sudanese authorities at reported abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout Sudan, including the south. We have also raised our concerns with the leaders of
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the SPLA factions. We were active earlier this year in securing the appointment of a special rapporteur to investigate the human rights situation in Sudan. At the United Nations General Assembly, we co-sponsored a hard-hitting resolution, commending the work of the special rapporteur, which was passed in plenary by 111 votes to 13.False Imprisonment
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consider taking steps to ensure that British citizens wrongly imprisoned abroad receive adequate compensation from the Governments responsible.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Claims for compensation against foreign Governments must be pursued through their courts. Under international law, a Government will not consider espousing a claim on behalf of an individual while other legal channels remain open. Even after the claimant has exhausted all available legal channels, we would need to consider all the circumstances of each case before taking such a course.
Land Mines
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he proposes to implement the land mines protocol and ban the export of anti-personnel land mines by the United Kingdom.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The United Kingdom has always adhered to the United Nations weaponry convention, protocol II of which lays down rules for the responsible use of land mines. We signed the convention in 1981 and hope to ratify it later this year.
We are not contemplating additional measures to cover the export of anti- personnel land mines from the United Kingdom. We have not produced or exported anti-personnel mines for some time ; and we believe that our current stringent controls on the export of defence equipment, which includes controls on all mines, are sufficient to stop the sale of these weapons to countries which may use them irresponsibly.
Nuclear Non-proliferation
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with his German counterpart and at the next EU Foreign Affairs Council the implications for EU export control and non-proliferation policy of the recent conviction of the owners of RO- SCH Technology GmbH of Kaufbevren of exporting carbon fibre centrifuge rotor tubes for uranium enrichment in contravention of the Federal German Foreign Trade Act.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : No. I do not intend to raise this issue. The action of the German authorities is a matter for that sovereign state.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals Her Majesty's Government intend to put to the second preparatory committee meeting of the fifth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to be held in New York from 17 January.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : At the second preparatory committee meeting, we shall be working to ensure that decisions are reached on outstanding procedural and administrative matters relating to the 1995 non- proliferation treaty extension and review conference. Our policy is to secure the unconditional and indefinite extension of the treaty in 1995.
EC Social Development Fund
Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent changes in the organisation of the Council of Europe's social development fund ; and if he proposes, in the light of these reforms, that the United Kingdom should now participate in the fund.
Mr. Goodlad : Following allegations of irregularities in the operation of the social development fund, a number of measures were agreed on by the member states, designed to ensure greater rigour and transparency in the management of the organisation and the proper care of public funds.
There are no plans for United Kingdom participation in the fund.
Hong Kong
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what terms will be offered to expatriate civil servants currently based in Hong Kong on the resumption of sovereignty by China ; and what is the estimated cost to the Exchequer of these arrangements.
Mr. Goodlad : Two White Papers of 1954 and 1960 set out our obligation to Her Majesty's overseas civil service--HMOCS--employed in overseas territories upon the ending of British sovereignty. These obligations include provision of a compensation scheme and a sterling pension protection scheme. Draft schemes have been prepared for consultation with the Hong Kong HMOCS association. The cost of these schemes will be known when they have been finalised.
Immigration
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of his submission to the European Commission and the Council of Ministers concerning the rights to enter the United Kingdom of citizens of Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Dominica, The Gambia, Grenada, Guyana, Kiribati, Lesotho, the Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has made no submission to the European Commission or the Council of Ministers about the rights of the citizens of the countries listed to enter the United Kingdom. The European Commission has, however, made proposals to determine the list of countries whose nationals must be in possession of a visa when crossing the external
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frontiers of member states. When these proposals have been received formally from the Council secretariat they will be made available to Parliament in accordance with normal scrutiny arrangements.Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with the Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Canada, Dominica, Gambia, Grenada, Guyana, Kiribati, Lesotho, the Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia and Zimbabwe on changing the status of their citizens with regard to entering the United Kingdom.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had no consultations with the Governments of the countries listed about changing the status of their citizens with regards to entering the United Kingdom. Entry into the United Kingdom for these nationalities, and others, will continue to be governed by the immigration rules.
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what undertakings he has given to the Governments of each of Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Canada, Dominica, The Gambia, Grenada, Guyana, Kiribati, Lesotho, the Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia and Zimbabwe about the continuing rights of their citizens to enter the United Kingdom.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwelth Affairs has given no undertakings to the Governments of the countries listed about the continuing rights of their citizens to enter the United Kingdom. Entry into the United Kingdom for these nationalities, and others, will continue to be governed by the immigration rules.
Council of Europe
Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those Council of Europe conventions and agreements which the United Kingdom has not signed or ratified ; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for not doing so.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The United Kingdom has neither signed nor ratified the conventions or agreements set out in the table. The reasons for not signing or ratifying vary. The information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
European Convention on Compulsory Insurance Against Civil Liability in Respect of Motor Vehicles (1959)
Agreement Relating to Application of the European Convention on International Commercial Arbitration (1962)
European Convention on the Supervision of Conditionally Sentenced or Conditionally Released Offenders (1964)
European Convention on the Punishment of Road Traffic Offences (1964)
European Convention Providing a Uniform Law of Arbitration (1966)
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European Convention on Establishment of Companies (1966) European Convention on Foreign Money Liabilities (1967) European Convention on Consular Functions (1967)European Convention on "Au Pair" Placement (1969)
European Convention on the International Validity of Criminal Judgments (1970)
European Convention on the Repatriation of Minors (1970) European Convention on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters (1972)
European Convention on the Place of Payment of Money Liabilities (1972)
European Convention on the Calculation of Time-limits (1972) European Convention on Social Security (1972)
Supplementary Agreement to the European Convention on Social Security (1972)
European Convention on Civil Liability for Damage Caused by Motor Vehicles (1973)
Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (1973)
European Convention on the Non-applicability of Statutory Limitation to Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes (1974) European Convention on the International Effects of Deprivation of the Right to Drive a Motor Vehicle (1976)
European Convention on products Liability in regard to Personal Injury and Death (1977)
European Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers (1977) European Convention on the Service Abroad of documents relating to Administrative Matters (1977)
European Convention on the obtaining abroad of Information and Evidence in Administrative Matters (1978)
European Convention on The Control of the Acquisition and Possession of Firearms by Individuals (1978)
European Convention for the Protection of Animals for Slaughter (1979)
European Outline Convention on Transfrontier co-operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities (1980)
European Convention on Offences Relating to Cultural Property (1985)
European Charter of Local Self-Government (1985)
European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals (1987) Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (1988)
Arrangement for the Application of the European Agreement of 17 October 1980 concerning the Provision of Medical Care to Persons During Temporary Residence (1988)
European Convention on Certain International Aspects of Bankruptcy (1990)
European Convention on the General Equivalence of Periods of University Study (1990)
European Code of Social Security (Revised) (1990)
European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages 1992 Convention on Civil Liability for Damage from Activities Dangerous to the Environment (1993)
North Korea
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on negotiations with North Korea for the access of nuclear inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to its nuclear facilities.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : North Korea's refusal to comply fully with its IAEA safeguards agreement is a cause for great concern. We hope that the problem can be resolved through dialogue between North Korea, the United States, South Korea and the IAEA. Any solution must reaffirm the IAEA's right to inspect all North Korean nuclear sites to the agency's satisfaction.
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Chemical Weapons
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he now plans to follow up his signature of the chemical weapons convention in Paris in 1993 ; what legislation is necessary to implement the United Kingdom's commitments under the convention ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We intend to ratify the chemical weapons convention--CWC--as soon as the necessary implementing legislation is in place. The legislation's main elements will be rights of entry and immunity for Organisation in the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons inspectors, requirements for industry declarations and creation of offences in respect of non-compliance with the CWC. We will introduce legislation as soon as parliamentary time becomes available.
Statutory Sick Pay
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the changes to statutory sick pay provision upon his departmental budget for the financial year 1994-95.
Mr. Goodlad : The abolition of the 80 per cent. statutory sick pay reimbursement rate will be offset, at least in part, by a reduction in employers' national insurance contributions. Any additional costs will be absorbed within the Department's existing running costs baseline.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Personal Allowances
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the numbers of additional income tax payers in 1994-95 compared to 1992-93 as a result of freezing the rate of personal allowance in two years ; and how much extra income tax will be raised as a result.
Mr. Dorrell : Compared with indexing the 1992-93 personal allowance to 1994-95 levels by reference to the statutory formula, the revenue yield from the measures in the last two Budgets is £1.1 billion and about 400,000 more people will pay tax.
Inheritance Tax
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the loss to the Treasury of tax revenue as a result of the exemption from inheritance tax of gifts to political parties for each year since 1979.
Mr. Dorrell : I regret that this information is not available.
Insider Dealing
Mr. Darling : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of insider dealing were reported by the authorities in each year since 1980.
Mr. Nelson : Alleged cases of insider dealing are generally detected by the stock exchange through its
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monitoring of share dealing. Following a preliminary investigation the stock exchange informs the Department of Trade and Industry when it believes there is a prima facie case. That Department has powers to investigate and to bring prosecutions where appropriate. The cases referred to the DTI in this way since 1980 are set out in the table.
Alleged cases of insider dealing reported to
the DTI by the stock
exchange between 1980 and 1993-94<1>
|Cases reported
---------------------------------------------
1980 |7
1981 |18
1982 |23
1983 |17
1984 |12
1985 |6
1986-87 |13
1987-88 |29
1988-89 |33
1989-90 |21
1990-91 |8
1991-92 |11
1992-93 |5
1993-94 |7
<1>The data for the period 1980-85 relate to
calendar years whereas
thereafter the figures are on a financial
year basis. The information for
1993-94 relates to cases which were reported
to the DTI between April
and the end of December 1993. A case may
have led to more than one
person being prosecuted.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of insider dealing have been prosecuted in each year since 1980 ; and how many prosecutions resulted in (a) conviction and (b) acquittal.
Mr. Nelson : The information is given in the table.
Insider dealing prosecutions between 1980-81 and 1993-94<1>
Year |Cases |Prosecutions|Convictions |Acquittals
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980-81 |0 |0 |0 |0
1981-82 |1 |1 |1 |0
1982-83 |2 |3 |3 |0
1983-84 |0 |0 |0 |0
1984-85 |2 |4 |0 |4
1985-86 |0 |0 |0 |0
1986-87 |1 |1 |1 |0
1987-88 |3 |3 |3 |0
1988-89 |1 |1 |0 |1
1989-90<2> |10 |14 |4 |9
1990-91 |1 |2 |2 |0
1991-92 |5 |8 |3 |5
1992-93 |3 |7 |5 |2
1993-94<3> |3 |6 |0 |5
|---- |---- |---- |----
Total |32 |50 |22 |26
<1> The figures reflect the number of individual defendants who were
prosecuted in the thirty-two insider dealing cases which have been
concluded since 1980. They do not include a case which is still in
progress.
<2> The figures for 1989-90 include one prosecution which was
subsequently withdrawn.
<3> The figures for 1993-94 include one case which was not proven.
Statutory Sick Pay
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the changes to statutory sick pay provision upon his departmental budget for the financial year 1994-95.
Mr. Nelson : The abolition of the 80 per cent. statutory sick pay reimbursement rate will be offset, at least in part,
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by a reduction in employers' national insurance contributions. Any additional costs will be absorbed within the Department's existing running costs baseline.Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate can be made of the number of people who would have an income tax liability from April 1995 whose sole income was incapacity benefit ; and what would be the yield in a full year of taxing incapacity benefit.
Mr. Dorrell : Only a very small number of people whose sole income was incapacity benefit would have any income tax liability in 1995-96 on the basis of the announced rules for the taxation of incapacity benefit for 1995-96 and the changes to income tax allowances announced for that year, assuming indexation of benefits and the personal allowance. The revenue yield in respect of these people would be negligible.
Charities (VAT)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether previous VAT zero-rated non-domestic charitable institutions will be liable for VAT from 1 April.
Sir John Cope : I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the existing VAT zero rate for fuel and power used by a charity otherwise than in the course or furtherance of a business. I confirm that the relief will not apply from 1 April 1994.
Household Debt
Mr. Hain : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of debt per household for every £100 of disposable income in (a) 1992 and (b) 1993.
Mr. Nelson : Figures for the level of household debt outstanding are not available. The level of debt of the personal sector, which includes apart from households, all unincorporated private businesses, sole traders, partner-ships, non-profit making bodies serving persons and private trusts, per £100 of disposable income in 1992 was £112. Figures for 1993 have not yet been published but the latest Treasury estimate is shown in chart 3.9 of the Red Book.
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make arrangements for the Data Protection Registrar to inspect relevant contracts with suppliers of IT services that involve the use of personal data held by his Department in order to check whether all appropriate arrangements in relation to the Data Protection Act 1984 have been made, and whether such contracts make provisions for the registrar to make random inspections in order to check the suppliers' compliance with the eighth data protection principle.
Mr. Nelson : The Treasury has no IT service contracts that involve the use of personal data held by the Department.
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Value Added Tax
Mr. Bowden : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will detail the statistical sources for the information given by the Paymaster General in answer to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) of 24 November, Official Report, columns 66-70.
Sir John Cope : The sources of this information were :
1. The document produced by the Commission of the European Communities entitled "The Evolution of VAT Rates applicable in the Member States of the Community" and numbered XXI/158/93-EN, which was deposited in the House of Commons Library in reply to a Parliamentary Question tabled by the hon. Member for Newham South, of 18 October 1993, Official Report, columns 7-8 ;
2. VAT in Europe ;
3. International VAT Monitor ; and
4. Tax News Service.
Items 2 to 4 are produced by the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation.
American Depositary Receipts
Mr. Dykes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total revenue gathered from stamp duty reserve tax on American depositary receipts issued on behalf of United Kingdom companies.
Mr. Nelson : The 1.5 per cent. rate of stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax applies to transfers of shares either into a depositary receipt scheme or into a clearance service system. The total yield from the 1.5 per cent. rate is estimated at around £20 million. Precise information is not available about the proportion attributable to transfers into American depositary receipt schemes, as distinct from other depositary receipt schemes or clearance services.
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