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Market Testing
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each service that has been market tested in his Department in 1993 (a) the cost of the testing
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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. Redwood : My Department is currently analysing the outcome of the 1992-93 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 "Citizens Charter Second Report". On an individual basis, much of the information is commercially confidential.
Badgers
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by county the number of badgers shot and gassed in each year since 1988 ; and what percentage of those badgers were subsequently shown to have tuberculosis.
Mr. Redwood : The number of badgers killed, following trapping during state veterinary service badger removal operations, in Wales since 1988 is as follows :
Year |Number of |Number Badgers killed |positive ------------------------------------------------------------ 1988 |32 |0 1989 |5 |0 1990 |9 |1 1991 |22 |0 1992 |- |- 1993 |10 |0
The figures relate to the county of Dyfed. No badgers have been killed by the state veterinary service in any other county in Wales since 1988. The legal gassing of badgers ceased on 26 June 1982.
DEFENCE
Artillery Shells
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the trading relationship between Allivane International Ltd., Allivane International Group or Aerotechnologies Ltd. of London and Glasgow, with the Chartered Chemical Industries Pte. Ltd. of Singapore in regard to the sale and manufacture of artillery shells.
Mr. Aitken : My Department holds no information on any trading relationship between these companies and the Chartered Chemical Industries Pte. Ltd. of Singapore.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the trading relationship between Royal Ordnance and the Chartered Chemical Industries Pte. Ltd. of Singapore in regard to artillery shells.
Mr. Aitken : My Department holds no information on any trading relationship between Royal Ordnance and the Chartered Chemical Industries Pte Ltd. of Singapore.
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Nuclear Proliferation
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on matters in regard to the proliferation of plutonium and other nuclear materials discussed at the NATO summit in Brussels on 10 and 11 January.
Mr. Hanley : The NATO summit declaration, to which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister referred in his statement of 12 January, Official Report, columns 177-79, sets out in paragraph 17 the alliance policy on proliferation. A copy of the declaration has been placed in the Library of the House.
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department prepared proposals for the second preparatory committee meeting for the fifth review and renewal conference of the nuclear non- proliferation treaty held in New York from 17 January.
Mr. Hanley : My Department continues to be closely involved with the United Kingdom's participation in the work of the second preparatory committee.
Nuclear Tests
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research is currently being conducted by his Blacknest verification laboratory into establishing a robust verification procedure to monitor a comprehensive nuclear test ban ; and what resources are committed annually to such verification research.
Mr. Aitken : The Atomic Weapons Establishment, of which the Blacknest laboratory is a part, has been contracted by the Ministry of Defence to carry out work on the verification procedures necessary to monitor a comprehensive nuclear test ban. Expenditure on un-classified work in this area is likely to be about £1.5 million per annum.
Landing Platform Helicopter Carrier
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made to the best and final offer accepted from VSEL in respect of the landing platform helicopter carrier since 11 May 1993 ; and what is the reason for any subsequent adjustments.
Mr. Aitken : VSEL has contracted to provide a vessel which meets the Department's requirements as set out in the procurement specification. As the design progresses, it is normal for alterations to the details of the specification to be discussed. These discussions are still ongoing and any changes to the specification will be rigorously controlled to ensure that cost estimates are not exceeded and value for money is achieved. My Department is not renegotiating the contract with VSEL.
Royal Naval Engineering College
Mr. Jamieson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of recarpeting work carried out at the Royal Naval engineering college in Plymouth during the last 12 months.
Mr. Hanley : The total cost of recarpeting work carried out during the last 12 months is £10,000.
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Mr. Jamieson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of replacing and installing perimeter fencing and lighting at the Royal Naval engineering college in Plymouth since 1990.
Mr. Hanley : The total cost of replacing and installing perimeter fencing and lighting since 1990 is £330,000.
Mr. Jamieson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of building, maintenance and refurbishment work carried out at the Royal Naval engineering college in Plymouth during the last two financial years.
Mr. Hanley : The total cost of building, maintenance and refurbishment work carried out during the last two financial years is £1,557,000 in financial year 1991-92 and £2,798,000 in financial year 1992-93.
Royal Navy (Visits to South Africa)
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made recently for Royal Navy ships to visit South Africa ; what was the purpose of each of those visits ; and which of those visits has been in connection with the sale of arms.
Mr. Aitken : The only visit of Royal Navy ships to South Africa to have been arranged in recent years is that of HMS Norfolk and the tanker RFA Grey Rover. This visit will take place later this month. The purpose of the visit is to re-establish relations between the Royal Navy and the South African navy.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Christmas Cards
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many official Christmas cards were sent out in 1993 by (a) Ministers, (b) civil servants and (c) staff of Government agencies working in or to his Department ; how much these cards cost (i) to buy, (ii) to post and (iii) in staff time to sign, address and place in envelopes.
Mr. Hague : This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the total cost to the Benefits Agency in 1993 of those Christmas cards sent out by senior executives in their official capacity.
Mr. Burt : This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Derek Fatchett, dated 18 January 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the total cost to the Benefits Agency of Christmas cards issued by its senior executives in an official capacity.
The senior executives of the Benefits Agency (BA) are myself, as the Chief Executive, and my Directors, who form the Benefits Agency Management Team.
A number of greetings cards were issued by myself and my Directors to managers, staff and outside organisations, but the cost of these cards and any postage costs incurred were funded, in the main, by the individual concerned.
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The Agency also produced "official" Christmas cards which appeared in two designs and were of a functional nature, carrying a number of Freeline and Helpline telephone numbers, which are on the reverse of the card. These cards were available to all staff within BA and their intended purpose was one of liaison and information. It was felt that there was a good opportunity at Christmas, by way of a simple greetings card, to issue a reminder to the organisations with which the Agency has contact.A number of these "official cards" were issued by myself and my Directors, to government officials and outside bodies and organisations. Where possible such cards were distributed, along with other items of official mail, within the internal courier system at no extra cost to the Agency. Where postage costs were incurred these were restricted to second class postage.
The cost to the Agency of Christmas cards issued by myself and my Directors in an official capacity, including postage, was £48.96. I hope you find this reply helpful.
Job Seeker's Allowance
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to what extent the job seeker's allowance will be financed by the national insurance fund.
Mr. Burt : Payments of the job seekers allowance which are made on the basis of national insurance contribution records will be met from the national insurance fund.
Young People
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) 16-year-olds and (b) 17-year-olds in the Doncaster area applied for severe hardship payments in each year from 1988 ; and what percentage of applicants were successful.
Mr. Burt : This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 18 January 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about Severe Hardship Payments to 16 and 17-year- olds in the Doncaster area.
The information requested in this question is not available in the format required and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. This is because the statistics kept cover the number of applications, rather than the number of individuals who have claimed. Some customers may have made more than one application. Also, the statistics collected do not distinguish between 16 and 17-year-olds. However, I have provided figures from the earliest date available, 1989, in the attached appendix, relating to successful applications for Severe Hardship Payments.
I should point out that the statistics relate to Benefits Agency Districts and are not routinely collected to show the number of claims specific to a town. The statistics given for Doncaster relate to the Benefits Agency's Doncaster East and Doncaster West offices. I hope this information is helpful.
A
16/17-year-olds severe hardship applications-Doncaster district
office
Year |Total |Number |Percentage
|applications|successful |successful
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1989 |97 |64 |66
1990 |103 |68 |66
1991 |349 |263 |75
1992 |541 |382 |71
1993 |650 |543 |84
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Disability
Mr. Gapes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are receiving (a) attendance allowance, (b) disability living allowance, (c) family credit, (d) income support, (e) invalidity benefit and (f) sickness benefit in (i) Barking and Dagenham and (ii) Redbridge.
Mr. Scott : This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Mr. M Bichard to Mr. Mike Gapes, dated 18 January 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about benefit recipients in Barking, Dagenham and Redbridge.
The information is not available in the format requested. This is because Benefits Agency District boundaries do not correspond with county or borough boundaries. However, I have provided figures relating to Barking Benefits Office, which covers the Barking and Dagenham area, and Ilford District Office, which covers the Redbridge area. I should point out that both those offices deal with areas other than Barking, Dagenham and Redbridge. The statistics provided, therefore, include a small number of people who do not live in those areas.
I should also explain that Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance are centrally administered benefits. To obtain figures for specific areas would result in disproportionate cost. Statistical data for each of the benefits is collected and collated over different periods and timescales. The figures provided are the latest available for each benefit.
The numbers of people receiving Income Support, at November 1993, are as follows :
|Number
--------------------------------------
Barking Benefits Office |38,230
Ilford District Office |60,239
The numbers of people receiving Family Credit, at 24 December 1993, are as follows :
|Number
--------------------------------------
Barking Benefits Office |934
Ilford District Office |992
The numbers of people claiming Sickness Benefit and Invalidity Benefit, at the last working day of December 1993, are as follows :
|Number
--------------------------------------
Barking Benefits Office
Sickness Benefit |2,025
Invalidity Benefit |4,083
Ilford District Office
Sickness Benefit |2,766
Invalidity Benefit |4,529
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many disabled persons are employed on (a) a full-time basis and (b) a part- time basis in Benefits Agency local offices in the Doncaster area ; and what proportion of the staff this represents.
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Mr. Burt : The responsibility for Benefits Agency staff is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 18 January 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the number of disabled people employed in the Benefits Agency's offices in the Doncaster area. There are 320 staff employed in the two offices in the Doncaster area : Doncaster East and Doncaster West. Of the 245 who work full time, nine are registered disabled, and this represents 2.81 per cent. of all staff. Of the 75 staff who work part time, none are registered disabled.
Information is not available for disabled staff who are not registered.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security where is the weather station which provides the recordings to enable cold weather payments to be made to citizens resident in Doncaster ; what reviews he is currently carrying out to change the location of the weather station in relation to Doncaster ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The information is in the Library. There are currently no plans to change the weather stations covering the Doncaster area.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Investors Compensation Scheme
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from hon. Members since January 1990 on the operaton of the investors compensation scheme ; what discussions he has had with the officers of the scheme arising from such discussions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nelson : I have received a number of such representations. The Securities and Investments Board has recently consulted about the funding of the scheme and is currently consulting about a number of minor changes to the rules. While the rules are a matter for SIB and decisions in individual cases are matters for the board, I am very conscious of the valuable work carried out by the scheme.
Illegal Drugs
Mr. Simpson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise officers have been in post each year since 1979, solely involved in the detection of the illegal import of drugs ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Cope : The only customs staff whose duties are solely involved in the detection of illegal imports of drugs are those who work in the customs investigation division and local collection investigation units. The relevant numbers are :
------------------- 1979-80 |121 1980-81 |133 1981-82 |152 1982-83 |183 1983-84 |201 1984-85 |212 1985-86 |262 1986-87 |297 1987-88 |376 1988-89 |395 1989-90 |420 1990-91 |568 1991-92 |576 1992-93 |582 <1>1993-94 |591 <1> estimate
In addition, all staff employed on anti-smuggling duties at ports and airports have a prime responsibility in the detection of the illegal importation of drugs as well as of other prohibitied and restricted goods.
Non-elected Authorities
Mr. Betts : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of gross domestic product was spent by central and local government and within central Government by non-elected authorities, for each year since 1979-80.
Mr. Nelson : Information on gross domestic product and central and local government expenditure is readily available on the CSO database in the following series--identified by their database code : EBAO : GDP at market prices adjusted for the distortion caused in the abolition of domestic rates
ABAC : Central government contribution to general government expenditure
ABAD : Local authority contribution to general government expenditure.
The database can be accessed on-line by the House of Commons Library.
Information on non-departmental public bodies is available in the annual Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies".
Tobacco Advertising
Mr. Betts : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount corporation tax receipts have been reduced in each of the last five years by the offsetting of costs associated with tobacco advertising, including sponsorship, against taxable profits.
Mr. Dorrell : I regret that the information is not available.
Income Tax
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would have been the average percentage loss of income due to an increase of 7p in the pound in income tax, instead of the measures imposed in the March and November 1993 budgets, for the 10 per cent. lowest income group and the 10 per cent. highest income group.
Mr. Dorrell : The distribution of income tax can be analysed using the annual survey of personal incomes which records information about individuals who have some tax liability. On the basis of a projection to 1994-95 of the 1991-92 survey the income net of income tax of the top 10 per cent. of taxpayers would fall by about 4.1 per
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cent. as a result of a 7p increase in the basic rate of income tax. The bottom 10 per cent. of taxpayers pay tax only at the lower rate and would be unaffected by a change in the basic rate.Market Testing
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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 contractors (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. Nelson : The Chancellor of the Exchequer's departments are currently analysing the outcome of the 1992-93 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 "Citizens Charter Second Report". On an individual contract basis, much of the information is commercially confidential.
Tax Relief
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend extra-statutory concession A25, claims for tax relief, to include taxpayers restrained by the time limit relating to the setting back of retirement annuity relief and similar statutorily imposed time limits.
Mr. Dorrell : I have no plans to extend extra-statutory concession A25. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, he may wish to write to me.
English Courses (VAT)
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the revenue raised from levying value-added tax on fees paid by students undertaking English as a foreign language course in the United Kingdom.
Sir John Cope : No estimates are available.
Unofficial Economy
Sir Ralph Howell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to estimate the size of the unofficial economy ; and what this represents as a percentage of gross domestic product.
Mr. Nelson : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Caernafon (Mr. Wigley) on 26 January 1993 at column 618.
Public Sector Debt
Mr. Jopling : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give in cash terms the level of the net public sector debt for each year since 1979 together with his forecasts using the prediction contained in the Red Book for each year until 1999 using either end of financial year dates or other convenient dates.
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Mr. Nelson : The table shows data for net public sector at end-March for each year from 1979 to 1993, plus projections for 1994 and 1995 consistent with the Budget forecast.
Net public sector debt (end-March figures)
|£ billion |Per cent. GDP
--------------------------------------------------------
1979 |92.0 |49.50
1980 |100.6 |45.50
1981 |115.2 |47.00
1982 |126.1 |47.00
1983 |134.0 |45.75
1984 |146.5 |46.50
1985 |160.3 |46.75
1986 |166.4 |44.75
1987 |172.3 |42.50
1988 |171.1 |38.00
1989 |157.2 |31.50
1990 |151.0 |28.00
1991 |155.3 |27.50
1992 |164.9 |28.00
1993 |201.7 |32.75
<1>1994 |253.0 |38.50
<1>1995 |292.0 |41.75
<1>Forecast.
Projections for 1995-96 to 1998-99 for net public sector debt as a percent of GDP are shown in chart 2.3 of the 1994-95 "Financial Statement and Budget Report". These projections show net public sector debt peaking at around 44 per cent. of GDP at end-March 1997, and falling thereafter. They are illustrative and depend on the assumptions made about growth of the economy.
Christmas Cards
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many official Christmas cards were sent out in 1993 by (a) Ministers, (b) civil servants and (c) staff of Government agencies working in or to his Department ; and how much these cards cost (i) to buy, (ii) to post and (iii) in staff time to sign, address and place in envelopes.
Mr. Nelson : A total of 1,175 official Christmas cards were sent by Ministers and 2,497 by civil servants in the Treasury in 1993. These cards cost £1,028.16 to buy. No record is available of the methods used to deliver the cards which would enable an accurate assessment to be made of postage costs. Equally no record is available of staff time involved in signing, addressing and placing the Christmas cards in envelopes.
Sporting Services (VAT)
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for finalising legislation which would exempt from value-added tax sporting services supplied to people taking part in sport or physical education by non-profit-making bodies and local authorities.
Sir John Cope : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 12 January, at column 189 .
Taxation
Ms Harman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) of 15 December 1992, Official Report, columns 120-26, and provide latest
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