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Averages of net farm income by type of farm in England<1>
Farm type
Dairy Cattle and sheep General cropping Cattle and sheep
(lowland) (LFA)
|<2>£'000s |<3>Index in|<2>£'000s |<3>Index in|<2>£'000s |<3>Index in|<2>£'000s |<3>Index in
|per farm |real terms |per farm |real terms |per farm |real terms |per farm |real terms
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1986-87 |21.7 |96 |4.7 |154 |31.7 |92 |9.5 |103
1987-88 |25.5 |113 |8.5 |278 |12.1 |35 |12.8 |139
1988-89 |34.2 |142 |9.6 |262 |8.2 |23 |16.3 |169
1989-90 |28.6 |121 |6.0 |129 |31.3 |120 |10.8 |112
1990-91 |21.9 |88 |2.6 |60 |30.0 |95 |7.2 |76
1991-92 |23.2 |91 |5.0 |112 |27.3 |85 |9.1 |112
<4>1992-93 |<5>- |<5>- |<5>- |<5>- |<5>- |<5>- |12.9 |156
<1>Sample averages for farms larger than 8 ESU. The system of classifying farms by type and size is set out in appendix
3 of "Farm Incomes in the
United Kingdom, 1991-92".
<2>1992-93 prices deflated by the retail prices index-all items.
<3>1989/90-1991/92=100.
<4>Provisional.
<5>Some information on incomes on these types of farm will be published on 31 January.
Source: "Farm Business Survey".
Cattle Conference
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how her Department was represented at the Cambridge conference on cattle.
Mr. Jack : Representatives from the State Veterinary Service and ADAS were present at the international conference of the British Cattle Breeders' Club held at Cambridge between 10 and 13 January 1994.
Oilseeds
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) of 17 December 1993, Official Report, columns 1071-72, if she will list all those member states whose area of oilseeds exceed a level calculated by reference to the 1989-91 average area ; for what reasons the Council decided to extend the moratorium on the use of bovine somatotropin for one year only ; and what was the Commission's recommended moratorium on bovine somatotropin.
Mr. Jack : The EC-US oilseeds agreement does not apply until the crop for harvest in 1994 nor will penalties apply unless total plantings throughout the Community exceed the EC's total base area. The member states with areas planted to oilseeds in 1993 in excess of their 1989-91 average area are Germany, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.
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The Commission's proposal was that the marketing and use of BST within the Community should be prohibited for the duration of milk quotas, that is currently until 31 March 2000. The Council decided however, to extend the moratorium on the marketing and use of bovine somatotropin for a further year only, so that it could consider the implications of a long-term ban, including the consequences for international trade, and the new situation created by the recent decision of the United States to approve the marketing of BST from the beginning of February 1994.It remains the United Kingdom view that the final Community decision on BST should be based firmly on scientific principles, taking into account the need to avoid international trading problems, to encourage Community based research industries, and to maintain the competitiveness of the Community's agriculture and food industries. Nonetheless, we accepted that it was sensible to extend the current moratorium for not more than one year, so that the Council could consider these new developments and experience overseas.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Works of Art (Export Licences)
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the items for which the issuing of export licences was withheld on the recommendation of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art during the half year ended 31 December 1993, specifying
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in each case the valuation and whether an item was exported or retained, with particulars in the latter event of the acquiring institution ; if he will list any items for which licences have been withheld but the final disposal of which is not yet decided, specifying in each case (a) the valuation and (b) the relevant time limit ; and whether a press notice will be issued by his Department covering the information given in his reply, including that relating to the outcome in individual cases.Mr. Sproat : The information is as follows :
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Description of item |Valuation (£) |Outcome
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A gold, silver-gilt, lapis-lazuli and enamel exhibition |86,000 |Export licence refused
clock, by Gustave Baugrand, 1867
A limestone relief fragment from Persepolis, |1,038,961 |Decision deferred until after
Archaemenid, first half 5th century BC | 30 April 1994
A drawing, The nursing of Cyrus', by Salvator Rosa |166,250 |Export licence granted
(1615-1673)
A painting, The courtyard of a house in Delft with a |5,000,000 |Export licence granted
young woman and two men drinking and smoking',
by Pieter de Hooch, 1658
A drawing, A woman's head in profile wearing an |130,000 |Export licence granted
elaborate head-dress, by Jacopo Ligozzi (1547-1626)
A drawing, The meeting of the Infant Baptist with the |4,469,750 |Export licence granted
Holy Family', by Michalangelo, c.1532
A painting, Colonel Mordaunt's cock-match', by |800,000 |Decision deferred until after
Johann Zoffany, c.1784-86 |5 May 1994
A statue, the Three Graces', By Antonio Canova, 1817 |7,600,000 |Reviewing committee's
| recommendation under
| consideration
A Roman statue base with a cursus inscription, 2nd-3rd |45,000 |Decision deferred until after
century AD |18 March 1984
A group of paintings from the Farquhar collection of |1,365,112.50 |Decision deferred until after
flora and fauna from Malacca |18 March 1984
Full details of the items on which decisions were deferred were given in press releases issued following the decisions on the reviewing committee's recommendations. A further press release giving the outcome of cases will now be issued.
Items in Lieu of Tax
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the allocations made to public institutions in the United Kingdom during the half year
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ended 31 December 1993 of individual works of art and museum objects pre-eminent for national, scientific, historic or artistic interest which have been accepted in satisfaction of inheritance tax, together with information, where applicable, as to conditions or wishes expressed in the matter of allocation by testators or executors ; and if he will list the works of art and museum objects which are still awaiting allocation, with the respective dates of their acceptance in satisfaction of inheritance tax.Mr. Brooke : The information the hon. Member requests is as follows :
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Item |To whom allocated |Conditions/wishes
|expressed
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charles I silver-gilt cup and cover |Victoria and Albert Museum|Wish
A Brogyntyn manuscript |National Library of Wales |Conditional
The Wrest Park Papers |Bedfordshire Record Office|Wish
The Richmond Race Cup |National Trust |Conditional
Schudi Harpsichord |National Trust |Conditional
Painting by Eileen Agar |Tate Gallery |Conditional
Portrait by Romney |Abbot Hall, Kendal |Unconditional
Barrington Papers |British Library |Unconditional
Model Gun Ship |National Maritime Museum |Wish
Items awaiting |Date of acceptance allocation -------------------------------------------------------------------- Portrait by Nicholas Hilliard |15 December 1993 Painting by J. F. Herring |15 December 1993 Lucas albums |15 December 1993 Two paintings by Vuillard |21 July 1993
Unicorn Heritage plc
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on what criteria the English tourist board made a grant of £200,000 to Unicorn Heritage plc.
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Mr. Sproat : In considering the application from Unicorn Heritage plc, the English tourist board applied its standard criteria for making grants under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969. These were as follows : the grant must be additional--that is, the project would not go ahead without the section 4 grant ; there should be a clear market need for the project, and reasonable prospects for its success ; the project should where possible be innovative ; and the section 4 grant should constitute only a small proportion of the total funding.
The English tourist board commissioned a report on the Unicorn Heritage project from consultants with particular expertise in developing visitor attractions. Drawing on this
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report and its own assessment, the board concluded that the project met the section 4 criteria. Unicorn Heritage was treated in exactly the same way as any other company would be in such circumstances.Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on what date his Department was notified of the demise of Unicorn Heritage plc ; on what date it was recognised that a grant was reclaimable ; on what date it started action to recover the grant ; what form that action took ; how many months it took to refer the file to the Treasury ; and what were the reasons for the time taken to refer the file.
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 17 January 1994] : The grant referred to was made by the English tourist board. The board has discretion to secure payment of any grant if the grant recipient becomes bankrupt or, in the case of a company, is wound up. The board was notified of the failure of the Unicorn Heritage plc shortly after the company went into liquidation on 25 June 1990. On 11September 1990 the board agreed to raise a debt of £200,000, and proof of debt was submitted to the liquidators. On 12 October 1990 the liquidators replied stating that there was no prospect of any payment of any dividend to the board.
The board kept the case open for some time because of the remote possibility that an unexpected dividend might have been forthcoming as the liquidators' work proceeded. This did not prove to be the case, so on 13 August 1992 the English tourist board recommended to my Department that this debt should be written off.
Consultancies
Ms Abbott : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the (a) accountancy firms and (b) merchant banks to which his Department awarded private consultancy work in 1992 and 1993, together with a list of the consultancies concerned and the amount paid.
Mr. Sproat : My Department let the contracts shown in the chart to accountancy firms and merchant banks in 1992 and 1993. Many of these contracts were with the management consultancy arm of the firm concerned rather than their accountacy arm. The total value of these contracts to date is approximately £0.71 million.
Consultant's name and consultancy description--
Coopers and Lybrand
Innovation Workshop in preparation for National Seminar
Ernst and Young
Review of Market Testing at the British Museum
Facilities Management Survey--to review systems for the management of buildings in the 16 DNH sponsored museums and galleries Feasibility study into the Development of a Heritage Management Database
Hill Samuel
Financial advice on the National Lottery (let by DNH on behalf of the Director General of the Office of the National Lottery) KPMG
Performance indicators--to review systems of performance management in the 16 DNH sponsored museums and galleries
European Co-Production Fund Evaluation Review--to establish the results so far achieved by the Fund
The Royal Parks Agency--development of Computerised Information Systems
Price Waterhouse
Review of the Arts Council
Financial audit of the British Library St. Pancras Project Financial appraisal of new building options for DNH
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Stoy HaywardPractical advice to the 16 DNH sponsored museums and galleries on the introduction of consolidated accounts
Touche Ross
Review of the Television Licence Fee
Management Review of the National Film and Television School
Grant Write-offs
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all companies which have had grants from his Department written off since June 1992 and set out his reasons for the decisions.
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 14 January 1994] : My Department has not written off any grants which it administers directly. Under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969, the English Tourist Board has given financial assistance to projects providing or improving tourist amenities and facilities in England. As permitted by Act, the board attached conditions to the grants which allowed them to be recoverable, including bankruptcy/insolvency of the recipient. The board is required to surrender to my Department all the sums recovered. Any amount which proves to be irrecoverable has to be written off by the Department. Treasury approval is required where the amount is over £100,000 and for 20 per cent. of the value of cases assessed.
Since June 1992, grant reclaimable debts have been written off in respect of the following companies. The debts were irrecoverable by reason of receivership, liquidation or because the company was wound up :
Receivership
Ashbourne Lodge plc
Badgerealm Ltd.
Border Developments Ltd.
Callow Park Ltd.
Grosvenor Arms Hotel (Pulford) Ltd.
Marshall of Luton (Builders) Ltd.
Theme Holdings Ltd.
Wessex Farm Horse Centre Ltd.
White Lion Hotel (Banbury) Ltd.
Liquidation
Backbrook Ltd.
Betternatural Ltd.
Brighton Rackets Club Ltd.
E & P Hotels Ltd.
Horsley Hall Ltd.
National Jazz Centre Ltd.
Sal Investments Ltd.
Unicorn Heritage plc
West Country Transport and Plant Hire Ltd.
Voluntary wound up
Oxford Area Arts Council Ltd.
In addition to the English tourist board, the Department sponsors a number of non-departmental public bodies which make grants available as part of their activities. Responsibility for determining to whom grants are given, and the conditions attached, rests with the individual bodies. Where appropriate, these include the need for the recipient to repay the grant where compliance with the conditions has not been met. Responsibility for writing off any irrecoverable debts arising within certain limits rests with the sponsored bodies. Details of these are not held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. No cases outside the delegated limits have been submitted to the Department for approval.
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Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage in how many cases since 1987 tourist board grants have been written off as irrecoverable ; how many were between £100,000 and £150,000, £150,000 and £199,000 and £200,000 or over ; and what is the highest single amount written off.
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 17 January 1994] : The figures for debts relating to grants made under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 are shown separately for England, Scotland and Wales.
|England |Scotland|Wales
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Debts written off since 1987 |53 |39 |13
£100,000-£150,000 |3 |2 |1
£150,000-£199,000 |3 |0 |0
£200,000 or above |2 |0 |0
Highest amount written off |£759,039|£124,447|£100,000
Royal Armoury
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement about the progress made to date in the removal of the Royal Armoury to Leeds.
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 17 January 1994] : The new Royal Armouries museum in Leeds, scheduled to open in spring 1996, has won all the private sector support it needs to go ahead, and work has begun at the Clarence dock site. This prestigious enterprise is a leading example of a joint venture between the public and private sectors bringing benefits to Leeds, the armouries and the tourist. A consortium of investors has formed the Royal Armouries
(International) plc which is putting £14 million into the project in addition to £20 million from my Department and contributions from Leeds development corporation and Leeds city council. The new museum will allow a far greater proportion of the armouries' unique collection to be displayed to the public and will make the Royal Armouries accessible to a much larger section of the population. The Royal Armouries will maintain a substantial display at the Tower of London, focused on the tower's rich history.
Statutory Sick Pay
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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. Sproat [holding answer 17 January 1994] : 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 cost will be absorbed within the Department's existing running costs baseline.
DEFENCE
Exercise Hadrian's Wall
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) the newspapers and other media concerns and (b) the hon. Members to whom prior warning was given of Exercise Hadrian's Wall.
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Mr. Hanley : Since most of the activity took place in Scotland, a number of Scottish newspapers were informed on 3 December 1993 that the exercise was taking place. The list of these is as follows : Daily Record
Scotsman
Herald
Galloway News
Galloway Gazette
Wegtown Free Press
Dumfries and Galloway Standard
Lennox Herald
Helensburgh Advertiser
South West Advertiser
My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence wrote to the hon. Member and to the right hon. and hon. Members for the following constituencies on 24 November 1993 informing them of the exercise :
Salisbury
Westbury
Devizes
Hampshire North West
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
Dunfermline East
Angus East
Argyll and Bute
Ross, Cromarty and Skye
Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber
Caithness and Sutherland
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