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Mr. Burt : The information is not available.
Housing Allowance
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the maximum amount of weekly housing allowance paid to a single unemployed person in London.
Mr. Burt : From a 1 per cent. sample of cases, the maximum weekly amount of housing benefit found in 1992 in London, where the claimant was single and unemployed, was £134.21.
Notes :
(i) The data has been obtained from a 1 per cent. sample of cases, therefore, the figure is the maximum in the sample and the highest amount payable may not have been included.
(ii) "Housing Allowance" has been assumed to mean housing benefit. (
(iii) "Unemployed" has been defined as those in receipt of unemployment benefit.
(iv) "London" has been defined as the inner and outer London boroughs.
Data Sources :
The housing benefit and community charge benefit management information system and the income support annual statistical inquiry. The enquiries are a 1 per cent. sample of cases in Great Britain in May 1992.
Fuel Bills
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by location, for each of his Department's properties in the Doncaster area, the annual fuel heating bills by year for the last four years.
Mr. Burt : Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
Annual fuel bills for DSS offices in
Doncaster
|Year
----------------------------------------------
Doncaster District Office |1990-91
(Castle House) |1991-92
|1992-93
Doncaster Branch Office |1990-91
(St. Peters House) |1991-92
|1992-93
Doncaster Medical |1990-91
Examination Centre |1991-92
|1992-93
Doncaster Medical |1990-91
Adjudication Centre |1991-92
|1992-93
Thorne Caller Office This is a building
occupied and as th
is the minor occup
are available.
Notes:
1. Prior to April 1991, fuel and utility
charges for the Government
estate were met by the Property Services
Agency and details are,
therefore, not held by this Department.
2. Fuel bills include a range of energy use,
such as hot water, lighting
and air conditioning and it is therefore not
possible to identify the
heating element of each bill.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish for each service that has been market tested in his Department in 1993 (a) the cost of the testing process, including consultancy costs, (b) the result of the test, (c) the name of the successful contractor, (d) the value and duration of the contract, (e) the number of staff involved, (f) estimated annual cost reductions and (g) whether the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 were deemed to apply.
Mr. Scott : This Department is currently analysing the outcome of the 1992-1993 "Competing for Quality" programme with the efficiency unit in the Cabinet Office. Much of the information requested in the question will, once it has been finalised, be published in aggregate form in the "Citizen's Charter Second Report". On an individual contract basis, much of the information is commercially confidential.
Family Benefit
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his current estimate of eligible households in the Doncaster area which do not claim family benefit; what means are used to improve the take-up rate; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : Take-up figures for family credit are not available on a regional basis. The latest estimates for take-up of family credit for Great Britain for 1991 are that 64 per cent of families eligible to receive the benefit were claiming it, and that 71 per cent of available benefit was being claimed. As at 24 December 1993, 2,876 families in Doncaster were receiving family credit.
There have been family credit advertising campaigns every year since 1989 which have stimulated claims and increased awareness. Over this period, the case load has increased from 280,000 in 1989 to around half a million now. The 1993 campaign was aimed at helping the unemployed understand how in- work benefits could help them to return to work. We have introduced special fast track procedures for people just starting work which enable the vast majority of urgent claims to family credit to be cleared, and payment issued, within one week. These special arrangements, in both employment and DSS local offices, help with completing the claim form and ensure that people starting work are aware of family credit. The family credit helpline, launched in April 1993, receives over 30,000 calls a week.
A continuing aspect of family credit awareness is the personalised message in the child benefit order book--or notification of automatic credit transfer payment--which tells the family concerned how much income they can have and still be eligible for family credit. A further stimulus to take-up of small amounts is the introduction from October 1993 of lump sum awards of family credit for awards of £4 a week or less. This provides one- off payments of up to £104, encouraging more people to claim and helping with back-to-work expenses.
Note :
"Families, Work and Benefits"--Policy Studies Institute, June 1993.
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Bed-and-Breakfast Accommodation, London
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people claiming unemployment benefit are living in bed-and- breakfast accommodation in each of the London boroughs; and what are the costs to the Exchequer at the latest available date.
Mr. Burt : The information requested is not available.
Raynaud's Disease
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what specific help with increased heating and fuel bills will be available to those with Raynaud's disease after the imposition of VAT on fuel.
Mr. Burt : Those with Raynaud's disease may be entitled to receive any of the wide range of social security benefits which are available, subject to individual circumstances. Details of the extra help in respect of VAT on domestic fuel were given in reply to the hon. Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh) on 30 November 1993 at columns 437- 38.
Unemployment Benefit
Mr. Khabra : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by parliamentary constituency in London the number of people who will be affected by the decision to reduce the entitlement to unemployment benefit from 12 months to six months.
Mr. Burt : Information on the rates of benefit received by unemployed people residing in a particular parliamentary constituency is not available and no estimate can be made of the numbers in each London constituency who may be affected by the introduction of jobseeker's allowance in April 1996.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has on the numbers of (a) males and (b) females leaving the unemployment register in the latest statistically convenient recent time period (i) because of loss of unemployment benefit without succeeding to eligibility for income support while remaining without work and (ii) loss of eligibility for income support due to spouse finding work.
Mr. Burt : The information requested is not available.
TRANSPORT
Supplementary Grant
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list for each (a) county council, (b) metropolitan district and (c) London borough a summary of the transport supplementary grant made available for each of the past five years, broken down into (i) committed major schemes (gross), (ii) newly supported major schemes, (iii) bridge works, (iv) principal roads carriageways, (v) local safety schemes, (vi) packages, (vii) scheme specific, including bus priority, (viii) bus priority alone, (ix) minor works, (x) European regional development fund schemes and (xi) Industrial Development Act schemes;
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(2) if he will list for each (a) county council, (b) metropolitan borough and (c) London borough in England a summary of the transport capital expenditure settlement for local authorities for each of the past five years, broken down into (i) committed major schemes gross, (ii) newly supported major schemes, (iii) bridge works, (iv) principal roads carriageways, (v) local safety schemes, (vi) packages, (vii) scheme specific, including bus priority, (viii) bus priority alone, (ix) minor works, (x) European regional Development fund schemes and (xi) Industrial Development Act schemes.Mr. MacGregor : I am placing the information in the Library. Tables 1 to 5 show the amounts of expenditure accepted for transport supplementary grant under the various categories. Grant is payable at 50 per cent. of accepted expenditure.
Airport Regulation
Mr. Haselhurst : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the system of economic regulation of airports.
Mr. Norris : I have asked officials to review the system of economic regulation of airports established under the Airports Act 1986. This review will include examination of the role of the CAA and MMC, the frequency and cost of reviews of designated airports, and the benefit of any alternative systems. The aim is to produce a discussion paper in spring 1994.
Christmas Drink-drive Campaign
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the results of the Christmas drink-drive campaign (a) in 1993 and (b) in previous years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : The results this year show continuing good progress in reducing drink-driving.
I am very grateful to the police for the excellent support they have given. In England and Wales they conducted nearly 11 per cent more breath tests than in the 1992 Christmas campaign. I am also grateful to all those who supported the campaign through sponsorship or publicity at national and local level.
Final figures for England and Wales show that the proportion of drivers tested who were over the legal limit was 6.8 per cent., compared with 7.2 per cent. in the 1992 Christmas campaign and 7.9 per cent. in the 1991 campaign. This is a significant reduction, bearing in mind that progress must become more difficult as the problem is reduced.
It is clear, therefore, that if we are to keep up this rate of progress we must maintain our efforts to get the message across that drinking and driving wrecks lives.
Light Rapid Transit Schemes
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the bids for financial assistance for light rapid transit schemes that he is currently considering.
Mr. Freeman : Bids for financial assistance for light rapid transit schemes are submitted by local authorities as part of the annual local authority transport expenditure round. The outcome of the 1993 bidding round, covering
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expenditure in 1994-95, was announced on 15 December 1993, Official Report , columns 699-706 . Bids for expenditure in 1995-96 will be invited later this year.Light rapid transit schemes may be eligible for grant under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968. Applications for section 56 funding are under consideration in respect of light rapid transit schemes in Birmingham-- Midland Metro--Leeds--Leeds Supertram--and Nottingham--Greater Nottingham light rapid transit.
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what budget provision he has to support light rapid transit schemes in the current and future financial years.
Mr. Freeman : There is no budget provision specifically reserved for light rapid transit schemes. Future
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proposals for funding of such schemes will be considered as part of the package approach to local transport expenditure.Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the light rapid transit schemes to which he has made financial contributions ; and if he will detail the total amount contributed and the amount paid in each financial year.
Mr. Freeman : The Government have made funding available for the Manchester Metrolink and South Yorkshire Supertram schemes, and for some preliminary expenditure in connection with Midland Metro. The figures are as follows :
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(£ million)
|1988-89 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |<1>1993-94
|and 1989-90
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manchester Metrolink
Credit approval |16.88 |31.25 |23.00 |6.00 |-
Grant |5.88 |27.68 |20.75 |1.75 |-
Midland Metro
Credit approval |- |- |0.75 |3.46 |-
Grant |- |- |0.40 |0.44 |-
SY Supertram
Credit approval |- |8.70 |14.10 |22.60 |35.30
Grant |1.10 |2.95 |6.40 |20.50 |14.50
<1>Original allocation subject to adjustment in the course of the year.
As part of the local authority transport settlement announced on 15 December 1993, Official Report , columns 699-706 , we have made further provision of £54.71 million for the funding of South Yorkshire supertram in 1994-95.
Vehicle Excise Duty
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to cut the amount of uncollected vehicle excise duty.
Mr. Key : The number of VED evaders brought to book has steadily increased in recent years following the implementation of the recommendations of an efficiency scrutiny, the introduction of new technology, and the continuing programme of joint local campaigns with the police. Last year over 435,000 evaders were penalised with £37.5 million in revenue recovered. In addition, an estimated 180,000 evaders relicensed as a direct result of enforcement action, recovering an extra £14 million. This trend is set to continue.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many convictions there were in each of the last 10 years in respect of non- payment of vehicle excise duty.
Mr. Key : The figures for successful prosecutions and out of court settlements are set out in the table.
|Out of court|Successful |Total cases
|completed
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1984-85 |123,000 |167,000 |290,000
1985-86 |136,000 |179,000 |315,000
1986-87 |159,000 |186,000 |345,000
1987-88 |173,000 |183,000 |356,000
1988-89 |185,000 |187,000 |372,000
1989-90 |190,000 |180,000 |370,000
1990-91 |223,000 |163,000 |386,000
1991-92 |243,000 |177,000 |420,000
1992-93 |242,000 |193,000 |435,000
<1>1993-94 |237,000 |213,000 |450,000
<1>Projected.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff, and how much staff time, was invested in tackling non-payment of vehicle excise duty in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Key : The staff figures, expressed in man years, are as follows :
|Man years
------------------------------
1984-85 |900
1985-86 |908
1986-87 |943
1987-88 |973
1988-89 |975
1989-90 |973
1990-91 |983
1991-92 |936
1992-93 |957
1993-94 |992
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the amount of vehicle excise duty uncollected in each of the last 10 years; and what estimates he has made for the current and future years.
Column 563
Mr. Key : Estimates of the revenue loss through evasion of vehicle excise duty in Great Britain are as follows :
|Revenue loss|Car VED rate
|£ million |£
----------------------------------------------------
1984-85 |80 |90
1985-86 |85 |100
1986-87 |90 |100
1987-88 |95 |100
1988-89 |100 |100
1989-90 |105 |100
1990-91 |105 |100
1991-92 |105 |100
1992-93 |130 |110
1993-94 |145 |125
|130
Estimates are derived from periodic roadside surveys. Details of the most recent survey can be obtained from the transport statistics report "Vehicle Excise Duty Evasion in Great Britain in 1989-90", which is available in the House of Commons Library. The next survey is planned for later this year.
Airports (Baggage Reconciliation)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table showing the names of all airports in the United Kingdom where trials on potential baggage reconciliation technology have taken place over the past five years, or are currently taking place, the date on which each trial commenced and was completed, the nature of the technology involved, the company undertaking the trial, the commissioning organisation for each trial, and whether the results of the trial were published or made available to his Department ; and if he will place details of the trials in the Library.
Mr. Norris : Though the Department of Transport has stated its requirements for baggage reconciliation, known as accounting and authorising for carriage, it is not the commissioning agent for trials of baggage reconciliation technology as its requirements can be met in a number of ways. Technology trials are therefore conducted as a result of commercial arrangements between airports, airlines, handling agents and the suppliers of baggage reconciliation systems. To the Department's knowledge, such trials have taken place or are under way at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester airports, and there may be or may have been trials at other locations.
For reasons of commercial confidentiality and security, the Department is not able to provide the details requested of the trials without the consent of those involved.
Chelmsford Bypass
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to begin on widening the A12 Chelmsford bypass ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : Subject to the present review of the trunk road programme we hope to consult the public about our proposals for widening the A12 Chelmsford bypass later this year. Further progress will depend on the successful outcome of subsequent statutory procedures and the availability of funds.
Column 564
ENVIRONMENT
Franchise Rights
Ms Short : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the role of local authorities in the operation of markets ;
(2) what plans he has to abolish market franchise rights.
Mr. Curry : The Deregulation Bill published today includes provision for the abolition of the rights of local authorities which own market franchises to object to any proposal to establish a new market within a six -mile radius of their own.
Ms Short : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will meet representatives of the National Association of British Market Authorities to discuss the abolition of market franchise rights.
Mr. Curry : Ministers will be happy to meet representatives of this association to discuss our proposals for legislation on this issue.
Ms Short : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses his Department has received in response to the consultative paper on market franchise rights ; how many of the responses were in favour of the proposal and how many opposed ; and if he will place them in the Library.
Mr. Curry : The Government have received a total of 2,322 individual responses to this consultation document, of which 273 supported our proposal. The categories of responses received and the numbers in each category were as follows :
|Support|Oppose |Neutral
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Local authorities |8 |174 |2
Market traders |240 |1,568 |-
Others (including consumer
groups and private individuals) |25 |340 |8
Copies of the responses from those bodies that agreed that their comments could be made public will be deposited in the Library as soon as possible.
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the names of the organisations which responded to the consultation paper of 16 August on market franchise rights ; (2) if he will place in the Library copies of responses to the Government's consultation paper of 16 August on market franchise rights ;
(3) how many responses he has received in response to the consultation paper of 16 August on market franchise rights ; how many supported the proposal ; and how many opposed it ;
(4) if he will meet representatives of the National Association of British Market Authorities before he comes to a conclusion on the future of market franchise rights ;
(5) if it is his intention to include the future of market franchise rights in the forthcoming Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill.
Mr. Curry [holding answer 16 December 1993] : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms Short).
Column 565
North Circular Road (Land Contamination)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he took when he issued exchange land certificates in November 1990 for land on and immediately adjoining one of the exchange land sites for the north circular road east of Falloden way, of a report commissioned in 1988 by Barnet council on the contamination of the land; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : The 1988 report is unknown to both my Department and the Department of Transport. A small area of contamination was discovered in June 1993 during preparation of the land to be given in exchange for land required for the trunk road improvement between east of Falloden way and east of high road, Finchley. As a result, the whole site was systematically tested. The Department of Transport has sent the report of the test, including recommendations for the treatment of the land, to the London borough of Barnet and its response is awaited. The treatment of the exchange land for the adjacent improvement of the trunk road at Regents Park road is the subject of negotiations with the borough.
Habitats and Species Directive
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the dates of the meetings planned by his Department with the statutory nature conservation advisers Scottish National Heritage, the Countryside Council for Walks and English Nature on the subject of the transposition of the EC habitats and species directive; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) by my hon. Friend the then Minister for the Environment and Countryside, on 16 December 1993, Official Report, column 821.
Biodiversity
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many countries had by 29 December 1993 ratified the biodiversity convention drawn up at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
Mr. Atkins : On the basis of notifications to the United Nations legal office in New York, 38 countries and the EC had ratified the biodiversity convention by 29 December 1993.
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the United Kingdom will ratify the Rio summit's biodiversity convention.
Mr. Atkins : We have made it clear that we intend to ratify the biodiversity convention subject to satisfactory progress towards securing safeguards against our concerns about its financial provisions. We have made some progress towards such safeguards and are considering what further progress can be made before we take a final decision on ratification. In the meantime, we remain fully committed to the aims of the convention as demonstrated by our "Action Plan on Biodiversity", to be published later this month, and by the Darwin initiative.
Column 566
Imported Waste
Mr. Michael Spicer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what amounts of industrial and household waste were imported during the last 12 months for which information is available ; and what quantities of this waste were buried or processed in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Atkins : The only data available are for hazardous wastes covered by the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988. In the 12 months ending April 1993, the United Kingdom imported 46,948 tonnes of hazardous waste, 98 per cent. of which was imported into England and Wales.
None of the imported waste was landfilled without treatment. Twenty-four thousand one hundred and eighteen tonnes received some form of treatment to reduce the hazard before landfilling, 19,168 tonnes were incinerated and a further 3,662 received some other form of treatment of which 3,474 tonnes were recovered or reprocessed.
Radioactive Waste
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has with regard to the disposal of radioactive waste at Lumms lane, Agecroft in Greater Manchester.
Mr. Atkins : The only company currently authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960--now 1993--to dispose of low-level radioactive waste at Lumms lane is Magnesium Elektron Ltd.--MEL--which is authorised to dispose of solid waste to the on-site landfill, liquid waste to the River Irwell and gaseous waste to the atmosphere. Environmental monitoring data are collected from around MEL's landfill site as part of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's national environmental monitoring programme. I will arrange for a copy of the annual report of this programme to be made available in the Library of the House.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 11 January, Official Report, column 6, what deadline has been set for the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee to reply on nuclear waste substitution.
Mr. Atkins : No deadline has been set for the committee's advice.
Waste (Brazil)
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received from the Sao Paulo State Environment Protection Agency in Brazil with regard to the return to the United Kingdom by the Produquimica company of Brazil of a consignment of copper, arsenic and cadmium wastes in December 1993.
Mr. Atkins : I presume that the question refers to material exported by London Metals Ltd. to the Produquimica Company in Brazil, which was recently returned to the United Kingdom.
My Department has received no information or other communication directly from the Sao Paulo State Environment Protection Agency--CETESB. However, information received indirectly may be summarised as follows.
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The Produquimica Company has claimed that it returned the material to the United Kingdom on the grounds that the terms of the original contract had not been fulfilled. CETESB joined in recommending re-export on these grounds : at this stage its own analysis of the cargo was not complete. The shipment left Brazil on 21December 1993. Subsequently, CETESB carried out an analysis of a sample from the cargo, which showed its composition to be largely zinc--44.9 per cent.--with some copper--8.25 per cent.--a substantial amount of moisture--14.3 per cent.-- and trace amounts of metals such as cadmium and arsenic--in total about 1 per cent. CETESB concluded that the material should be classified as "ash and residues, principally containing zinc". Under Brazilian regulation No. 138--of 22 December 1992--such residues can be imported into Brazil only after prior authorisation from IBAMA--Federal Environment Agency--and DECEX --Department of Foreign Trade. Produquimica is not registered with IBAMA. CETESB therefore took the view that the import was in breach of this regulation, and formally demanded the return of the cargo to its place of origin. This demand was made only after the shipment had already left Brazil.
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