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Column 633

estimates of the burden of direct and indirect taxes for 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95, including figures for the community charge and council tax as appropriate.

Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 14 January 1994] : Updated figures for 1992-93, including estimates of community charge payments, and the latest estimates for


Column 634

1993-94 and 1994-95 for direct and indirect taxes excluding local taxes are given in the tables on a similar basis to that provided to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 15 December 1992. No estimates of council tax payments for specimen households in 1993-94 can be provided until the 1993 family expenditure survey is published.


Column 633


Income tax, National Insurance contributions and indirect tax payments at multiples of average earnings            
1992-93                                                                                                            
                                    Multiples of                                                                   
                                   ||11average earnings                                                            
                                   |50                 |75                 |100                                    
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single                                                                                                             
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                
Income tax                         |24.98              |46.71              |68.44                                  
NICs                               |11.87              |19.69              |27.51                                  
Income tax and NICs                |36.84              |66.40              |95.95                                  
VAT                                |-                  |14.43              |19.24                                  
Other indirect                     |-                  |18.89              |23.33                                  
Community charge                   |-                  |7.19               |7.35                                   
                                                       |-------            |-------                                
Total                                                  |106.91             |146.05                                 
                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                             
Income tax                         |14.4               |17.9               |19.7                                   
NICs                               |6.8                |7.6                |7.9                                    
Income tax and NICs                |21.2               |25.5               |27.6                                   
VAT                                |-                  |5.5                |5.5                                    
Other indirect                     |-                  |7.2                |6.7                                    
Community charge                   |-                  |2.8                |2.2                                    
                                                       |-------            |-------                                
Total                                                  |41.0               |42.0                                   
                                                                                                                   
Married, no children                                                                                               
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                
Income tax                         |16.71              |38.44              |60.17                                  
NICs                               |11.87              |19.69              |27.51                                  
Income tax and NICs                |28.57              |58.13              |87.68                                  
VAT                                |-                  |13.35              |18.59                                  
Other indirect                     |-                  |21.11              |25.61                                  
Community charge                   |-                  |11.13              |11.47                                  
                                                       |-------            |-------                                
Total                                                  |103.72             |143.35                                 
                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                             
Income tax                         |9.6                |14.7               |17.3                                   
NICs                               |6.8                |7.6                |7.9                                    
Income tax and NICs                |16.4               |22.3               |25.2                                   
VAT                                |-                  |5.1                |5.3                                    
Other indirect                     |-                  |8.1                |7.4                                    
Community charge                   |-                  |4.3                |3.3                                    
                                                       |-------            |-------                                
Total                                                  |39.8               |41.2                                   
                                                                                                                   
Married, two children                                                                                              
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                
Income tax                         |-0.74              |20.99              |42.72                                  
NICs                               |11.87              |19.69              |27.51                                  
Income tax and NICs                |11.12              |40.68              |70.23                                  
VAT                                |-                  |13.33              |19.27                                  
Other indirect                     |-                  |20.74              |24.28                                  
Community charge                   |-                  |11.47              |12.15                                  
                                                       |-------            |-------                                
Total                                                  |86.22              |125.93                                 
                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                             
Income tax                         |-0.4               |8.0                |12.3                                   
NICs                               |6.8                |7.6                |7.9                                    
Income tax and NICs                |6.4                |15.6               |20.2                                   
VAT                                |-                  |5.1                |5.5                                    
Other indirect                     |-                  |8.0                |7.0                                    
Community charge                   | -                 |4.4                |3.5                                    
                                                       |-------            |-------                                
Total                                                  |33.1               |36.2                                   
                                                                                                                   
Married, both working, no children                                                                                 
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                
Income tax                         |1.65               |19.97              |41.68                                  
NICs                               |8.09               |15.91              |23.73                                  
Income tax and NICs                |9.74               |35.88              |65.42                                  
VAT                                |-                  |17.17              |22.86                                  
Other indirect                     |-                  |25.58              |29.47                                  
Community charge                   |-                  |11.85              |12.23                                  
                                                       |-------            |-------                                
Total                                                  |90.48              |129.98                                 
                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                             
Income tax                         |1.0                |7.7                |12.0                                   
NICs                               |4.7                |6.1                |6.8                                    
Income tax and NICs                |5.6                |13.8               |18.8                                   
VAT                                |-                  |6.6                |6.6                                    
Other indirect                     |-                  |9.8                |8.5                                    
Community charge                   |-                  |4.5                |3.5                                    
                                                       |-------            |-------                                
Total                                                  |34.7               |37.4                                   

Column 635


Income tax, National Insurance contributions and indirect tax payments at multiples of average earnings                                                                                                                                                                            
1993-94                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                    Multiples of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                   ||11average earnings                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                   |50                 |75                 |100                |150                |200                |300                |400                |500                |700                |1,000              |2,000                                  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Income tax                         |26.02              |48.51              |71.01              |118.67             |190.65             |334.61             |478.57             |622.53             |910.45             |1,342.33           |2,781.93                               
NICs                               |12.28              |20.37              |28.47              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88                                  
Income tax and NICs                |38.30              |68.89              |99.48              |152.55             |224.53             |368.49             |512.45             |656.41             |944.33             |1,376.21           |2,815.81                               
VAT                                |-                  |14.71              |19.64              |30.16              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |19.87              |24.45              |34.23              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |103.47             |143.57             |216.94                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Income tax                         |14.5               |18.0               |19.7               |22.0               |26.5               |31.0               |33.2               |34.6               |36.1               |37.3               |38.6                                   
NICs                               |6.8                |7.5                |7.9                |6.3                |4.7                |3.1                |2.4                |1.9                |1.3                |0.9                |0.5                                    
Income tax and NICs                |21.3               |25.5               |27.6               |28.3               |31.2               |34.1               |35.6               |36.5               |37.5               |38.2               |39.1                                   
VAT                                |-                  |5.5                |5.5                |5.6                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |7.4                |6.8                |6.3                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |38.3               |39.9               |40.2                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Married, no children                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Income tax                         |17.75              |40.25              |62.74              |107.73             |177.42             |321.38             |465.34             |609.30             |897.22             |1,329.10           |2,768.70                               
NICs                               |12.28              |20.37              |28.47              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88                                  
Income tax and NICs                |30.03              |60.62              |91.21              |141.61             |211.30             |355.26             |499.22             |643.18             |931.10             |1,362.98           |2,802.58                               
VAT                                |-                  |13.51              |18.87              |30.57              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |22.31              |27.00              |37.22              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |96.44              |137.08             |209.40                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Income tax                         |9.9                |14.9               |17.4               |20.0               |24.6               |29.8               |32.3               |33.9               |35.6               |36.9               |38.5                                   
NICs                               |6.8                |7.5                |7.9                |6.3                |4.7                |3.1                |2.4                |1.9                |1.3                |0.9                |0.5                                    
Income tax and NICs                |16.7               |22.5               |25.3               |26.2               |29.4               |32.9               |34.7               |35.7               |37.0               |37.9               |38.9                                   
VAT                                |-                  |5.0                |5.2                |5.7                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |8.3                |7.5                |6.9                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |35.7               |38.1               |38.8                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Married, two children                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Income tax                         |-0.35              |22.15              |44.64              |89.63              |159.32             |303.28             |447.24             |591.20             |879.12             |1,311.00           |2,750.00                               
NICs                               |12.28              |20.37              |28.47              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88              |33.88                                  
Income tax and NICs                |11.93              |42.52              |73.11              |123.51             |193.20             |337.16             |481.12             |625.08             |913.00             |1,344.88           |2,784.48                               
VAT                                |-                  |13.41              |19.48              |32.73              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |22.09              |25.77              |33.80              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |78.01              |118.36             |190.04                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Income tax                         |-0.2               |8.2                |12.4               |16.6               |22.1               |28.1               |31.1               |32.9               |34.9               |36.4               |38.2                                   
NICs                               |6.8                |7.5                |7.9                |6.3                |4.7                |3.1                |2.4                |1.9                |1.3                |0.9                |0.5                                    
Income tax and NICs                |6.6                |15.8               |20.3               |22.9               |26.8               |31.2               |33.4               |34.7               |36.2               |37.4               |38.7                                   
VAT                                |-                  |5.0                |5.4                |6.1                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |8.2                |7.2                |6.3                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |28.9               |32.9                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Married, both working, no children                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Income tax                         |2.87               |21.60              |43.77              |88.76              |133.75             |237.63             |368.07             |512.03             |799.95             |1,231.83           |2,671.43                               
NICs                               |8.36               |16.45              |24.55              |40.75              |55.87              |67.76              |67.76              |67.76              |67.76              |67.76              |67.76                                  
Income tax and NICs                |11.23              |38.05              |68.32              |129.51             |189.62             |305.39             |435.83             |579.79             |867.71             |1,299.59           |2,739.19                               
VAT                                |-                  |15.57              |21.42              |33.06              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |25.88              |29.92              |37.96              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |79.51              |119.67                                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Income tax                         |1.6                |8.0                |12.2               |16.4               |18.6               |22.0               |25.6               |28.5               |31.8               |34.2               |37.1                                   
NICs                               |4.6                |6.1                |6.8                |7.5                |7.8                |6.3                |4.7                |3.8                |2.7                |1.9                |0.9                                    
Income tax and NICs                |6.2                |14.1               |19.0               |24.0               |26.3               |28.3               |30.3               |32.2               |34.4               |36.1               |38.1                                   
VAT                                |-                  |5.8                |6.0                |6.1                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |9.6                |8.3                |7.0                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |29.5               |33.3               |37.1                                                                                                                                                                               

Column 637


Income tax, National Insurance contributions and indirect tax payments at multiples of average earnings                                                                                                                                                                            
1994-95                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                    Multiples of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                   ||11average earnings                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                   |50                 |75                 |100                |150                |200                |300                |400                |500                |700                |1,000              |2,000                                  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Income tax                         |27.34              |50.73              |74.13              |126.83             |201.69             |351.41             |501.13             |650.85             |950.29             |1,399.45           |2,896.65                               
NICs                               |14.16              |23.51              |32.87              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44                                  
Income tax and NICs                |41.50              |74.25              |107.00             |165.27             |240.13             |389.85             |539.57             |689.29             |988.73             |1,437.89           |2,935.09                               
VAT                                |-                  |16.78              |22.21              |33.74              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |20.86              |25.68              |35.87              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |111.89             |154.89             |234.88                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Income tax                         |14.6               |18.1               |19.8               |22.6               |26.9               |31.3               |33.5               |34.8               |36.3               |37.4               |38.7                                   
NICs                               |7.6                |8.4                |8.8                |6.8                |5.1                |3.4                |2.6                |2.1                |1.5                |1.0                |0.5                                    
Income tax and NICs                |22.2               |26.4               |28.6               |29.4               |32.1               |34.7               |36.0               |36.8               |37.7               |38.4               |39.2                                   
VAT                                |-                  |6.0                |5.9                |6.0                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |7.4                |6.9                |6.4                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |39.9               |41.4               |41.8                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Married, no children                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Income tax                         |20.73              |44.12              |67.51              |120.21             |195.07             |344.79             |494.51             |644.23             |943.67             |1,392.83           |2,890.03                               
NICs                               |14.16              |23.51              |32.87              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44                                  
Income tax and NICs                |34.88              |67.63              |100.38             |158.65             |233.51             |383.23             |532.95             |682.67             |982.11             |1,431.27           |2,928.47                               
VAT                                |-                  |15.38              |21.27              |33.76              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |23.24              |28.16              |38.57              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |106.25             |149.81                                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Income tax                         |11.1               |15.7               |18.0               |21.4               |26.1               |30.7               |33.0               |34.4               |36.0               |37.2               |38.6                                   
NICs                               |7.6                |8.4                |8.8                |6.8                |5.1                |3.4                |2.6                |2.1                |1.5                |1.0                |0.5                                    
Income tax and NICs                |18.6               |24.1               |26.8               |28.3               |31.2               |34.1               |35.6               |36.5               |37.5               |38.2               |39.1                                   
VAT                                |-                  |5.4                |5.7                |6.0                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |8.3                |7.5                |6.9                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |37.8               |40.0                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Married, two children                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Income tax                         |2.27               |25.67              |49.06              |101.76             |176.62             |326.34             |476.06             |625.78             |925.22             |1,374.38           |2,871.58                               
NICs                               |14.16              |23.51              |32.87              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44              |38.44                                  
Income tax and NICs                |16.43              |49.18              |81.93              |140.20             |215.06             |364.78             |514.50             |664.22             |963.66             |1,412.82           |2,910.02                               
VAT                                |-                  |15.21              |21.92              |36.12              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |23.13              |27.03              |35.29              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |87.53              |130.88             |211.62                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Income tax                         |1.2                |9.1                |13.1               |18.1               |23.6               |29.1               |31.8               |33.4               |35.3               |36.7               |38.4                                   
NICs                               |7.6                |8.4                |8.8                |6.8                |5.1                |3.4                |2.6                |2.1                |1.5                |1.0                |0.5                                    
Income tax and NICs                |8.8                |17.5               |21.9               |25.0               |28.7               |32.5               |34.4               |35.5               |36.8               |37.7               |38.9                                   
VAT                                |-                  |5.4                |5.8                |6.4                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |8.2                |7.2                |6.3                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |31.2               |35.0               |37.7                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Married, both working, no children                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Amounts, £ per week                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Income tax                         |4.31               |25.25              |48.07              |94.85              |141.64             |257.97             |396.76             |546.48             |845.92             |1,295.08           |2,792.28                               
NICs                               |9.60               |18.95              |28.31              |47.03              |63.82              |76.88              |76.88              |76.88              |76.88              |76.88              |76.88                                  
Income tax and NICs                |13.91              |44.21              |76.38              |141.88             |205.46             |334.85             |473.64             |623.36             |922.80             |1,371.96           |2,869.16                               
VAT                                |-                  |17.58              |24.03              |36.82              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |27.19              |31.44              |39.86              |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |88.97              |131.85             |218.56                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Percentage of earnings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Income tax                         |2.3                |9.0                |12.8               |16.9               |18.9               |23.0               |26.5               |29.2               |32.3               |34.6               |37.3                                   
NICs                               |5.1                |6.8                |7.6                |8.4                |8.5                |6.8                |5.1                |4.1                |2.9                |2.1                |1.0                                    
Income tax and NICs                |7.4                |15.7               |20.4               |25.3               |27.4               |29.8               |31.6               |33.3               |35.2               |36.7               |38.3                                   
VAT                                |-                  |6.2                |6.5                |6.6                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Other indirect                     |-                  |9.7                |8.4                |7.1                |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                  |-                                      
Total                                                  |31.7               |35.2               |38.9                                                                                                                                                                               
Notes to tables:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
1. Income tax payments are calculated on the assumption that the households receive no tax reliefs other than the standard                                                                                                                                                         
allowances and only have income from employment. All earners, including wives, are assumed to pay class 1 national                                                                                                                                                                 
insurance contributions at the contracted-in rate.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
2. Since 1990-91, husbands and wives have been taxed independently. Previously the tax liability of couples depended on                                                                                                                                                            
their joint income. To permit comparisons with earlier years, the table therefore shows income tax and national insurance                                                                                                                                                          
contributions paid by a married couple as a proportion of their joint income, assuming, as in the earlier years, that where both                                                                                                                                                   
partners are earners, the husband and wife share the relevant multiple of earnings in the ratio 60:40.                                                                                                                                                                             
3. In order to provide comparability with 1978-79, when support for children was given partly through child tax allowance,                                                                                                                                                         
child benefit is treated as a negative income tax for the married couple with two children.                                                                                                                                                                                        
4. Average earnings are taken to be the average gross weekly earnings of all full-time males on adult rates with pay                                                                                                                                                               
unaffected by absence. These are assumed to be £347.70 a week in 1992-93, £359.90 a week in 1993-94 and £374.30 a                                                                                                                                                                  
week in 1994-95, based on illustrative earnings growth assumptions of 3" per cent. in 1993-94 and 4 per cent. in 1994-95.                                                                                                                                                          
5. The estimates of most indirect taxes are based on equations derived from the 1985 family expenditure survey, uprated to                                                                                                                                                         
later years using forecasts of aggregate tax receipts. Estimates of VAT on domestic fuel and power are based on equations                                                                                                                                                          
using results from the 1991 family expenditure survey, uprated using a similar methodology. These estimates are based on                                                                                                                                                           
the illustrative assumption that 10 per cent. of disposable income is saved. There are wide variations in spending patterns                                                                                                                                                        
between households with the same composition and similar incomes and estimated payments of VAT and other indirect                                                                                                                                                                  
taxes are therefore approximate, even within the income range for which figures are shown. Outside this range, the margin of                                                                                                                                                       
error is even higher and reliable estimates cannot be made. Because of sampling variation, there can be substantial                                                                                                                                                                
differences between estimates obtained from family expenditure surveys for different years.                                                                                                                                                                                        
6. Estimates of the burden of the community charge has been derived from the 1991 and 1992 Family Expenditure Surveys.                                                                                                                                                             
All respondents were assumed to pay the community charge to which they were liable. The calculations include water                                                                                                                                                                 
charges in order to put the estimates on a comparable basis to the estimates for earlier years. Community charge payments                                                                                                                                                          
are net of transitional relief and community charge benefit. Since community charge payments vary widely between                                                                                                                                                                   
households with similar incomes, estimated charge payments are only approximate.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a full list of all statements made by Ministers in his Department, and/or press notices issued by his Department, which referred to a possible completion date for the channel tunnel rail link, the dates on which each such statement was made, and the possible completion date which was mentioned.

Mr. Portillo [holding answer 18 January 1994] : My right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Thames (Mr. Lamont), in his Budget statement of 16 March 1993, Official Report, column 194, said that he hoped to see the new line completed around the end of the decade.


Column 640

Crossrail

Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a full list of all statements made by Ministers in his Department, and/or press notices issued by his Department, which referred to a possible completion date for the crossrail project, the dates on which each such statement was made and the possible completion date which was mentioned.

Mr. Portillo [holding answer 18 January 1994] : I am not aware of any such statements or press notices.

Private Pensions

Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the 10 companies included in the survey commissioned from KPMG Peat Marwick by the


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Securities and Investments Board recently, on the transferring of assets from occupational to private pension schemes.

Mr. Nelson [holding answer 18 January 1994] : The survey was commissioned by SIB. I understand that the firms included in the survey--10 LAUTRO regulated firms, eight IMRO regulated firms and 43 members of FIMBRA --were chosen as firms representative of those involved in the selling of personal pensions. Because the study was intended to establish the extent of compliance in the industry as a whole it would be unfair and misleading to single out those firms included in the survey by publishing their names.

Air Passenger Duty

Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what investigation his Department intends to undertake into the effect of air passenger duty on air fares within the United Kingdom ; what estimate he has made as to the impact on business and leisure use of air transport, particularly to the airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports ; and what evidence he has received from other European countries as to the impact of such taxation on transport.

Sir John Cope [holding answer 18 January 1994] : Air passenger duty is expected to increase return air fares within the United Kingdom and to other EC countries by £5 ; and to other destinations by £10. For the purpose of analysing the effects of the duty we have assumed airlines will fully pass on the duty to passengers in the form of higher fares. The price elasticity for business journeys is estimated to be 0.3 ; for non-business journeys to be 1.25. Overall, the tax is expected to reduce demand for air travel by around 2 per cent. There is insufficient information available to estimate the impact of the tax on airports operated by Highland and Islands airports. No information has been received from other European countries on the impact of the introduction of such taxation on transport.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

DAF Leyland

Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the 1990, 1991 and 1992 accounts of DAF Leyland were filed at Companies House.

Mr. Neil Hamilton : This matter is for Companies House. I have therefore asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Mr. D. Durham to Mr. Austin Mitchell, dated 17 January 1994 :

You tabled the following Parliamentary Question :

"To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when the 1990, 1991 and 1992 accounts of DAF Leyland were filed at Companies House." As this is a matter which is my responsibility as Chief Executive and Registrar of Companies House, I am writing to you direct. There is no company currently registered under the name of DAF Leyland. I presume that the company in which you are interested is Leyland DAF Limited. I should point out that there are in fact 13 companies on the register with the name Leyland


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DAF in their title, but for the purposes of this reply I have concentrated on the two major companies within the group, Leyland DAF Limited and Leyland DAF Holdings Limited.

Leyland DAF Limited and Leyland DAF Holdings Limited both delivered accounts for the period ending 31 December 1990 on 10 October 1991. Failure of the directors of these companies to deliver accounts for the period ended 31 December 1991 were followed up with the companies in accordance with normal procedures.

I was subsequently notified that an administrative receiver had been appointed for both companies on 3 February 1993. The receiver submitted the relevant receivership documents. The companies will not now be pursued for statutory documents but the receiver has an obligation to send me accounts of the receipts and payments to cover the first 12 months of the receivership and six monthly periods thereafter. A report from the receiver was delivered to Companies House for both companies on 2 September 1993.

Should the companies survive the receivership and emerge as active and wishing to remain on the register, the directors will be obliged to deliver outstanding statutory documents including those which became outstanding prior to the appointment of the receiver. I hope this reply has covered the points tabled in your question. If you are interested in any other company within the Leyland DAF group please do not hesitate to let me know.

Iraq

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will update to the present the answer given to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 17 October 1990, Official Report, column 837, on export credits to Iraq.

Mr. Needham : The information requested is contained in the answer that I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 12 January at column 236.

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what benefits have accrued to United Kingdom business from exhibitions at the Baghdad international arms fairs.

Mr. Needham : I assume the question refers to the international exhibition for military production held in Baghdad in 1989 in which a number of British companies participated. It is for the companies themselves to say what commercial benefits accrued as a result.

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date the most recent United Kingdom-Iraq joint committee on trade was held ; what matters were discussed ; and what was decided.

Mr. Needham : The most recent UK-Iraq joint commission was held from 27 to 30 November 1989. It reviewed the implementation of the agreement on economic and technical co-operation signed on 24 June 1981. A financial protocol was signed for ECGD supported medium-term credits, up to a value of £250 million, in respect of the export of capital goods and services to Iraq by United Kingdom companies. In the event, however, loan agreements in respect of this sum were not signed and none of the £250 million, therefore, was utilised by Iraq.

Scott Inquiry

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has sent a copy of the Kemp report on the ECGD to the Scott inquiry.


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Mr. Needham : A copy of the Kemp report which reviewed the status options for ECGD has not been sent to the Scott inquiry since it does not fall within the categories of documents requested by the inquiry.

Export Credits Guarantees Department

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the nature of his Department's responsibility for and oversight of the ECGD since it was sold.

Mr. Needham : The short-term business of ECGD, formerly operated by its insurance services arm, was privatised on 1 December 1991. The privatised company has to meet the regulatory requirements of the DTI pertaining to private sector insurance companies. ECGD continues to be a separate Department of the Secretary of State, principally concerned with credit insurance support for capital goods and project exports, typically sold on medium and long terms of credit. The Government have agreed to provide various supplemental reinsurance facilities to the private sector through ECGD to ensure that sufficient capacity is available to meet the needs of United Kingdom companies exporting on short terms of credit.

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his Department retains records of ECGD activities prior to its privatisation.

Mr. Needham : The Secretary of State retains the right of access to records held by NCM Credit Insurance Ltd. to satisfy ECGD's requirements in terms of its trading and appropriation accounts, its public accountability obligations and to ensure the company complies with the terms of agreements entered into with ECGD in the context of the privatisation.

British Coal

Mr. Lester : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what total amount of subsidy towards the cost of production has been paid by the Department to British Coal since the 1993 coal White Paper ; (2) what conditions need to be met in order to claim a subsidy from the Government to British Coal towards the cost of production from a particular mine ;

(3) how many requests his Department has received from British Coal since last March for a subsidy to a mine or group of mines ; and how many have been accepted.

Mr. Eggar : The coal subsidy is available to both British Coal, and private sector producers, in support of genuinely additional sales of deep mined coal for electricity generation, at world market related prices. Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account a range of factors including, the price paid for the coal, which should be related to world market prices, current and projected production costs at the pit, the financial performance of the pit and the position of competing producers, as it is important to ensure that United Kingdom opencast producers are not unfairly disadvantaged.

The Department of Trade and Industry has received a number of bids for subsidy since March 1993. Details of individual applications are commercially confidential, but so far, two offers of subsidy have been made to British Coal, in support of sales from Ellington colliery. Both offers are subject to EC clearance.


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The subsidy is payable in arrears in line with actual deliveries made. To date, no subsidy has been paid to British Coal. Details of the total amount of subsidy awarded will however be made available to Parliament in the normal way.

Mr. Tipping : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all the consultants commissioned by him to report on the restructuring and privatisation of British Coal ; what are their terms of reference ; when each piece of work was commissioned ; and when it was completed.

Mr. Eggar : Details of consultants appointed by the Department on privatisation and associated restructuring are as follows :


Consultant                          |Date                               |Scope of work                                                          
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NM Rothschild                       |30 May 1991                        |Provision of financial advice in                                       
                                                                        |connection with the privatisation                                      
                                                                        |of the coal industry.                                                  
                                                                                                                                                
Clifford Chance                     |19 June 1991                       |Provision of legal advice in                                           
                                                                        |connection with the privatisation                                      
                                                                        |of the coal industry.                                                  
                                                                                                                                                
John T. Boyd                        |5 August 1991                      |Provision of advice on technical                                       
                                                                        |matters related to evaluating the                                      
                                                                        |potential for improvements in                                          
                                                                        |mining productivity and costs in                                       
                                                                        |the United Kingdom coal industry                                       
                                                                        |and other similar matters                                              
                                                                        |that may be specified in connection                                    
                                                                        |with the privatisation of the                                          
                                                                        |coal industry.                                                         
                                                                                                                                                
Touche Ross                         |12 June 1991                       |Provision of accounting and                                            
                                                                        |regulatory advice in connection                                        
                                                                        |with the privatisation of the                                          
                                                                        |coal industry.                                                         
                                                                                                                                                
RPS Consultants                     |12 July 1993                       |Identification of and advice on                                        
                                                                        |environmental liabilities.                                             
                                                                                                                                                
Dewe Rogerson                       |28 July 1992                       |Provision of marketing advice                                          
                                                                        |for privatisation.                                                     
                                                                                                                                                
Wardell Armstrong                   |5 August 1991                      |Provision of advice on technical                                       
                                                                        |matters related to minerals                                            
                                                                        |leasing and licensing.                                                 
                                                                                                                                                
Peter Williams                      |7 January 1992                     |Provision of advice on coal                                            
                                                                        |mining safety matters in connection                                    
                                                                                                                                                
                                                                        |British Coal.                                                          

The consultants' work is continuing as work on privatisation progresses.

Mr. Tipping : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total cost including expenses of all consultancies he has commissioned on the restructuring and privatisation of British Coal.

Mr. Eggar : Expenditure on consultancies in connection with the privatisation of British Coal for 1991-92 and 1992-93 was £3.3 million, including VAT, and £3.5 million, including VAT, respectively. Provision for 1993-94 is £13.5 million, including VAT. The consultancies budget for 1994-95 has still to be decided.

Christmas Cards

Mr. Bayley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many official Christmas cards were sent out in 1993 by (a) Ministers, (b) civil servants and (c) staff of


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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. Eggar : The Department did not have an official Christmas card last year. The use of Christmas cards by the Department's executive agencies is a day-to-day operational matter for their chief executives, but I understand that in 1993 the following DTI agencies sent out official cards : Accounts Services Agency, Companies House, Laboratory of the Government Chemist, National Engineering Laboratory, National Physical Laboratory, National Weights and Measures Laboratory, Patent Office, Radiocommunications Agency and Warren Spring Laboratory. Details of these and any other mailings of Christmas cards are not held centrally.

Consultancies

Ms Abbott : To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. Eggar : My Department does not classify consultancy contracts in terms of the type of organisations awarded them and the information requested cannot be provided other than at

disproportionate cost.

AKZO-Nobel Industrier

Sir Fergus Montgomery : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will refer the proposed merger between AKZO and Nobel Industrier to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

Mr. Neil Hamilton : No. This merger falls to be considered under the EC merger regulation. I understand the concerns that my hon. Friend has expressed about this transaction and I can assure him that these were taken into account in the full comments which the United Kingdom has passed to the EC Commission. A decision as to whether a detailed investigation should be undertaken is a matter for the Commission.

Ofwat Customer Services Committees

Mrs. Mahon : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what criteria are used in determining nominations for the chairmanship of regional Ofwat customer services committees.

Mr. McLoughlin : This is a matter for the Director General of Water Services.

Jetstream Aircraft

Mr. Foulkes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of the agreement of GATT on the future prospects for the sale of Jetstream aircraft overseas.

Mr. Sainsbury : No new agreement on civil aircraft--a category which includes aircraft of all sizes, aero-engines and equipment--was concluded at the end of the Uruguay round. The parties involved agreed to retain the status quo, and to continue negotiations for a further year on the basis of a text drafted by the chairman of the


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relevant GATT sub-committee. It is therefore unlikely that Jetstream's sales prospects will be affected in the short term. In the long term, our aim is to put into place an agreement which controls all forms of government support to the aerospace industry in a balanced way. Such an agreement would be of benefit to Jetstream as well as to the rest of the United Kingdom aerospace industry.

Nuclear Power Stations

Mr. Hardy : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what action he will take to recover the levy paid to Nuclear Electric in the current financial year following the publication of the most recent figures regarding the cost of decommissioning nuclear power stations ;

(2) what assessment he has made of the effect on costs of decommissioning power stations recently published by the nuclear industry on the validity of the estimates on which the fossil fuel levy was based ; and what plans he has to reduce or end the levy.

Mr. Eggar : The fossil fuel levy enables the full costs of nuclear generation in England and Wales, including making provision for the costs of decommissioning Nuclear Electric's stations, to be met. The sums to be raised by the levy over the period 1990-1998 were determined in 1990 in the light of Nuclear Electric's best estimates at that time of the full costs of its stations and in the light of reductions in these costs which Nuclear Electric aimed to achieve. This is reflected in the fact that the amount raised for Nuclear Electric from the levy is schedule to decline in real terms up to 1998, providing the company with an incentive to reduce its costs. The levy arrangements in respect of nuclear power are due to end in 1998.

The House of Commons Trade and Industry Committee made certain recommendations in respect of the levy in its report "British Energy Policy and the Market for Coal" (HC 237). The Government will take account of these recommendations in their review of the future prospects for nuclear power.

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how GATT will affect the ability of Rolls-Royce in Coventry to compete with other aero engine manufacturers.

Mr. Sainsbury : no new agreement on civil aircraft--a category which includes aero-engines--was concluded at the end of the Uruguay round. The parties involved agreed to retain the status quo, and to continue negotiations for a further year on the basis of a text drafted by the chairman of the relevant GATT sub-committee. Thus, the competitive position of Rolls-Royce will not be affected immediately. In the long term, our aim is to put into place an agreement which controls all forms of government support to the aerospace industry, in particular the high levels of indirect support which the United States aero-engine industry receives. Such an agreement would help Rolls-Royce to compete on an equal basis in world markets.


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Rolls-Royce

Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what request he has received from Rolls-Royce for launch aid.

Mr. Sainsbury : It is not our policy to confirm or deny whether applications for support have been received from particular companies, as any such applications are treated as commercially confidential.

Digital Audio Broadcasting

Sir Michael Neubert : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether any decision has been reached on the allocation of radio frequency spectrum to allow the introduction of digital audio broadcasting into the United Kingdom.

Mr. McLoughlin : The Government have decided to make available the frequency band 217.5 MHz to 230 MHz to enable terrestrial digital audio broadcasting--T-DAB--services to begin in the United Kingdom. Broadcasters and equipment manufacturers will now be able to make plans for sound broadcasting services and for the production of receivers with more certainty.

The various interests which were brought together by the President of the Board of Trade in February in a DAB forum, which has the aim of promoting plans for the introduction of this important new development into the United Kingdom, will also now be better placed to take investment and other decision, taking into account factors such as the benefits to listeners and the potential for business opportunities which will be created within and outside the United Kingdom.

The DAB forum has enabled the various interests to make significant progress in planning for the introduction of DAB including the technical details, the business issues and the regulatory environment. This has built on the success of the Eureka project in which the United Kingdom--(notably the BBC--played a leading role, and has helped the United Kingdom remain in the vanguard of this exciting new challenge and opportunity for broadcasters and manufacturers. The Government's decision to make available scarce frequencies in a prime location in the radio spectrum to allow services to start up is a further demonstration of our commitment to play a full part in enabling the devolopment of DAB in this country for the benefit of United Kingdom industry as well as United Kingdom listeners.

Regulations (Impact Costs)

Mr. Gill : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how the cost impact of complying with proposed regulations is to be assessed with regard to small businesses.

Mr. Sainsbury : The Government are introducing today a small business litmus test as part of the compliance cost assessment procedure to ensure that the cost impact of proposed regulation on small businesses is fully taken into account. The test will normally take the form of a requirement for departments to consult two or three small firms typical of the sector affected by the regulation and discuss with them what the impact would be. Departments may apply an alternative test if this would give a better and


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clearer picture of the impact. The results of the test are to be included in the compliance cost assessment on the proposed regulation.

I am arranging for a note of the full terms of the small business litmus test to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

EC Aid Programmes

Mr. Tipping : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place a copy of his response to the European Commissioner's consultative document on the future of Rechar and other EC-wide aid programmes in the Library.

Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 11 January 1994] : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) on 12 January at column 240.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Data Protection

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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 made provisions for the registrar to make random inspections in order to check the suppliers' compliance in with the eighth data protection principle.

Mr. Sproat : The Data Protection Registrar has a wide range of powers, under the Data Protection Act 1984, to ensure that all individuals and organisations holding personal data on computer systems are registered and observe the data protection principles as required by the Act. 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.

Unicorn Heritage plc

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the reasons for his decision to declare as unrecoverable the grant made to Unicorn Heritage plc to promote the royal heritage exhibition.

Mr. Sproat : The writing-off of debts relating to grants paid under the section 4 grant scheme is an administrative procedure that does not require the intervention of the Secretary of State. In the case of Unicorn Heritage plc, the English tourist board was informed by the company's liquidators that there was no prospect of the debt being paid. The board accordingly recommended to my Department that the debt should be written off. My Department accepted the board's recommendation and once Treasury approval had been granted, the debt was


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duly written off. Unicorn Heritage plc was treated in exactly the same way as any other company would have been in the circumstances.

Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are the practices and criteria used to write off grants made by the English tourist board ; and if he will make a statement with regard to the write-off of the £200,000 grant for Unicorn Heritage plc awarded in December 1988.

Mr. Sproat : The English tourist board has discretion to seek repayment of any grant made under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 if there is a breach of the grant conditions. Having raised a debt, the board will investigate the likelihood of repayment. If, following these investigations, the board judges that the debt is irrecoverable, it will formally recommend to my Department that the debt should be written off. My Department has authority to write off debts up to a value of £100,000. Debts over £100,000 can be written off only with Treasury approval.

In the case of Unicorn Heritage plc, I am satisfied that the English tourist board investigated thoroughly the possibility of repayment, and that the write-off procedures were correctly applied. Unicorn Heritage plc was treated in exactly the same way as any other company would have been in the circumstances.

Royal Palaces

Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what the accommodation at the occupied royal palaces consists of for (a) Princess Margaret, (b) the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, (c) Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, (d) the Duke and Duchess of Kent and (e) Princess Alexandra.

Mr. Sproat : The information is as follows :

HRH the Princess Margaret

Kensington Palace

3 principal bedrooms

4 principal reception rooms

TRH the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

Kensington Palace

4 principal bedrooms

7 principal reception rooms

TRH the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent

Kensington Palace

5 principal bedrooms

5 principal reception rooms

TRH the Duke and Duchess of Kent

St. James's Palace

4 principal bedrooms

6 principal reception rooms

HRH the Princess Alexandra

St. James's Palace

5 principal bedrooms

4 principal reception rooms

In each case, apart from HRH the Princess Alexandra, there is associated staff and ancillary accommodation.


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