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Year |Detections |Firearms |Prosecutions
|seized<1>
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1992 |N/A |1,427 |6
1993 |276 |8,674 |4
<1>The significant increase in the number of weapons seized in
1993 is the result of a small number of major seizures of CS gas
canisters and the seizure of a major arms shipment at Teesport
in November 1993.
VAT on Fuel
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now review his policy of imposing VAT on domestic fuel ; and if he will make a statement.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the ratio of public sector employees to employees in the private sector ; and what it was in (a) 1979, (b) 1985 and (c) 1990.
Mr. Nelson : The information requested is as follows :
|Ratio of public
|to private
|sector
|employees
------------------------------------------------
Mid-year 1979 |1:2.4
Mid-year 1985 |1:2.7
Mid-year 1990 |1:3.4
Mid-year 1993 |1:3.5
Relevant information is available in the Central Statistical Office publication, Economic Trends , January 1994--Table C of "Employment in the public and private sectors". A copy is available in the Library.
Column 230
Public Expenditure
13. Dr. Spink : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current target for public spending as a percentage of national wealth.
Mr. Portillo : The Government are committed to reducing public spending as a share of national income : the plans that we announced in the Budget in November imply that public spending will fall from 45 per cent. of national income in 1993-94 to 42.5 per cent. in 1996-97.
Ms Harman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on the Chancellor's departments within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(2) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on European Communities within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(3) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure new control total by department on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ; (4) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for the public expenditure new control total and general Government expenditure on the same basis as table 5.2 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(5) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on local authority self-financed expenditure within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(6) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on agriculture, fisheries and food within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(7) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on the legal departments within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(8) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on defence within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(9) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on education within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(10) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on employment within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(11) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on housing, environment, the Property Services Agency and local government within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ; (12) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on Foreign Office activities and on overseas development within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
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(13) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on health within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;(14) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on the Home Office within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(15) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on Northern Ireland within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(16) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on Scotland within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(17) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on social security within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(18) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on trade and industry and on the ECGD within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(19) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on transport within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(20) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on Wales within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95 ;
(21) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on the Office of Public Service and Science and on other Cabinet Office expenditure within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget report 1994-95 ;
(22) if he will publish outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure on the national heritage within the new control total on the same basis as table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994-95.
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 6 May 1994] : Outturn figures for 1993-94 for public expenditure, on the same basis as tables 5B.3 and 5.2 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1994-95", will be published in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1995-96." The table gives the latest estimates for these figures, which are subject to revision and may differ from the eventual published figures.
Estimated outturn for 1993-94 new control total and general
Government expenditure
|£ million
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ministry of Defence |23,450
Foreign and Commonwealth Office |1,450
Overseas Development Administration |2,250
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (including IBEA) |3,010
Trade and Industry |3,340
Export Credits Guarantee Department |-60
Department of Employment |3,620
Department of Transport |6,10
DOE-Housing |7,650
DOE-Other environmental services |2,320
DOE-PSA |110
DOE-Local government |29,350
Home Office |5,960
Lord Chancellor and Law Officer's Departments |2,480
Education |9,830
Department of National Heritage |990
Department of Health |29,950
Department of Social Security |67,800
Scotland (including Forestry Commission) |13,620
Wales |6,330
Northern Ireland |7,110
Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments |3,410
Cabinet Office-OPSS |1,240
Cabinet Office etc |460
European Communities |1,620
Local authority self-financed expenditure |9,700
Adjustment |-300
|-------
New control total |242,700
Cyclical Social Security |14,400
Central Government debt interest |19,400
Accounting adjustments |7,900
|-------
General Government expenditure excluding privatisation
proceeds |284,400
SOCIAL SECURITY
Disability Living Allowance
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how much has been paid in disability living allowance to people suffering from back ailments in each of the last three years ; (2) if it is standard practice for people who have applied for disability living allowance because of back ailments to be examined by a chiropractor ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) how much has been paid in disability living allowance for each of the last three years ;
(4) what proportion and number of people in receipt of disability living allowance suffer from back ailments.
Mr. Scott : Information is not available about the number of people receiving disability living allowance who have a back ailment. Available information dates from April 1993 and relates to people whose main disabling condition is attributable to a back ailment. Currently 8 per cent.--108,000--of DLA recipients have this as their main disabling condition. In 1993-94 we estimate that DLA expenditure on this group was around £200 million.
Disability living allowance was introduced in April 1992. Total expenditure for 1992-93 was £1,973 million and for 1993-94 is estimated to have been £2,505 million.
It is not standard practice for medical examinations to be undertaken in connection with claims for DLA. An independent adjudication officer decides in each individual case what additional evidence, if any, is required to reach a decision on entitlement. Source : DSS Analytical Services Division- -based on a 5 per cent. sample.
Source : Social Security Departmental Report The Government's Expenditure Plans 1994-95 to 1996-97 (March 1994) Cm 2513.
Detective Agencies
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much his Department has spent on contracts with private detective agencies since 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 233
Mr. Hague : This Department uses a private company to serve documents in connection with the collection of arrears of national insurance contributions. The cost of the contract for the period April 1991 to March 1994 was £302,461.
Disability Working Allowance
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the take-up of disability working allowance ; and what plans he has to improve the allowance.
Mr. Scott : Disability working allowance was introduced in April 1992. By 30 April 1994, 43,088 applications had been received and 12, 416 claims had been successful.
We have announced six changes to improve the benefit. From October 1994 we will introduce a child care costs disregard of £40 which could increase disability working allowance by up to £28 a week. From April 1995 there will be automatic remission of NHS charges for those with savings of £8,000 or less, access to disability working allowance will be extended for those undertaking training for work, the rate for couples and lone parents will be increased from £63.75 to £72.10 a week, the threshold for single people will be increased from £43.00 to £53.75 and we will introduce a disabled child's premium of £19.45 a week.
These are significant improvements to the benefit.
Child Support
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the savings made by the Child Support Agency in its first year of operation excluding (a) those savings made and passed on by the old liable relatives system, (b) moneys passed directly from parent to parent and taken into consideration and (c) those savings brought forward from the Child Support Unit prior to the agency's start-up.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member shortly.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Archy Kirkwood, dated 12 May 1994 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the benefit savings made by the Child Support Agency.
The Agency has so far achieved £335 million in benefit savings in 1993 -94. This does not represent the total savings achieved as some will be scored retrospectively. It includes £195 million which arises for maintenance arranged under the old Liable Relative system, and which is not yet the subject of a new CSA assessment.
Some maintenance is collected by the Agency as part of its collection service and some is paid direct between parents. At the end of March the benefit savings figure included £172.9 million which had been paid direct.
I hoipe this reply is helpful.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many maintenance application forms in relation to the Child Support Act 1991 have been issued in Scotland since April 1993 to (a) lone parents on income support, (b) lone parents on family credit, (c) disability working allowance and (d) lone parents not in receipt of social security benefits ;
Column 234
(2) how many maintenance application forms in relation to the Child Support Act 1991 have been returned in Scotland since April 1993 from (a) lone parents on income support, (b) lone parents on family credit, (c) disability working allowance and (d) lone parents not in receipt of social security benefits.Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 11 May 1994 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of maintenance application forms issued by, and returned to the Child Support Agency in Scotland.
I am afraid that the figures requested are not available for Scotland separately. Figures are, however, available for Great Britain as a whole. From April 1993 to March 1994 maintenance application forms were issued to 320,400 parents with care on income support, 223,800 parents with care in receipt of either family credit or disability working allowance, and 29,650 parents with care not in receipt of social security benefits. 284,150 maintenance application forms have also been issued to clients who were receiving income support prior to April 1993.
In the same period 626,600 maintenance application forms were returned.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many women in Scotland have claimed exemption under the Child Support Act 1991 because of undue harm or distress ; how many have no information about the whereabouts of the father of their child or children ; how many are unable to name the father ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) how many lone parents in Scotland have had their claim for exemption under the Child Support Act 1991 (a) turned down and (b) accepted ; and how many have withdrawn their claim ;
(3) how many lone parents in Scotland have had a reduced benefit direction made against them under the Child Support Act 1991 ; and how many have had their benefit cut.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 11 May 1994 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about cases in which the requirement to cooperate provisions of the Child Support Act have been waived or where Reduced Benefit Directions have been issued. I am afraid that the figures requested are not available for Scotland separately. Figures are, however, available for Great Britain as a whole. From April 1993 to March 1994, 68,400 claims were considered in relation to the requirement to cooperate. Of these, the Agency accepted "good cause" in 15,800 cases where there was the risk of undue harm or distress ; in 8,400 cases where the absent parent was unknown, and in 7,500 other cases. Figures are not available for the number of cases where the parent with care has no information about the absent parent's whereabouts.
In the same period, 627 cases were referred to the Benefits Agency to consider the implementation of a Reduced Benefit Direction. Details of the number of cases in which benefit was reduced is matter for the Benefits Agency, and I understand that such information is not available, except at disproportionate cost.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Column 235
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many absent parents in Scotland have been issued with a maintenance inquiry from under the Child Support Act 1991 ; how many have returned a maintenance inquiry form ; how many have been assessed to pay maintenance ; and how many have actually paid maintenance to the Child Support Agency or to the lone parent involved.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Dr. Norman A Godman, dated 11 May 1994 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of maintenance enquiry forms issued by, and returned to the Child Support Agency in Scotland, and the number of absent parents who have been assessed for and who are paying maintenance in Scotland. I am afraid that figures are not available for Scotland separately. Figures are available, however, for Great Britain as a whole. From April 1993 to March 1994, 466,600 maintenance enquiry forms were issued to absent parents, of which 296,600 have been returned. In the same period, 205,500 maintenance assessments were made.
With regard to how many absent parents are paying, the Child Support Computer System records client's details on an individual case by case basis, and it is not currently configured to produce information on the total number of absent parents paying maintenance.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average maintenance payment level in Scotland under the Child Support Act 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 11 May 1994 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the average maintenance level in Scotland.
I am afraid that estimates are not available for Scotland separately. In Great Britain as a whole, however, it is estimated that from April 1993 to March 1994, the average maintenance assessment was £45 - £50 a week.
I hope that this reply is helpful.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) lone parents on income support, (b) lone parents on family credit, (c) lone parents on disability working allowance and (d) lone parents not in receipt of social security benefits have received maintenance under the Child Support Act 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 11 May 1994 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about parents with care receiving maintenance.
Column 236
The Child Support Computer System produces national statistics about the amount of maintenance collected, but it does not relate this to individual cases. An enhancement to provide this is planned for the summer.I cannot, therefore, yet answer the question in the form in which you ask it, but you may wish to know that by the end of March 1994, the Agency had recorded £210 million maintenance as having been collected. This does not represent the total sum for 1993-94 because some amounts are recorded retrospectively. It also does not include payments made directly by an absent parent to a parent with care where benefit is not an issue.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of (a) absent fathers and (b) absent mothers in receipt of income support who have had a 5 per cent. reduction in their benefit under the provisions of the Child Support Art 1991.
Mr. Burt : The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 11 May 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many absent mothers and fathers on Income Support (IS) have had 5 per cent. deducted from their IS under the Child Support Act 1991.
The information is not available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. To obtain the information would involve a physical examination of every live and closed file currently held ; in excess of 12M cases.
The Benefits Agency does not keep a running total of the number of individual customers whose benefit has been reduced because a deduction has been made for child support. However, routine management statistics are maintained on a quarterly basis which show that the number of IS customers with a deduction for child support for the quarter ending 28 February was 16,413. Figures are not available which would break this total down by gender.
Although quarterly statistics have been kept since deductions for child support commenced, these do not represent the total number of customers who will have had deductions made, as many customers will feature in consecutive quarters dependent on the time they are in receipt of IS.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Milk Marketing
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons the timetable for the proposed reform of milk marketing has been changed ; what progress is being made concerning the future of the Northern Ireland milk marketing board ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ancram : The Milk Marketing Board for Northern Ireland has accepted that the vesting date of 1 April 1994, as proposed in its reorganisation scheme, was not realisable. The board may now propose a new vesting date of up to 1 January 1995, but this does not preclude an earlier vesting date provided that their proposals have been approved. Ministers are still examining the proposals in the board's reorganisation scheme. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.
Column 237
Health and Safety
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of health and safety legislation which is presently applicable in Great Britain but has still to be applied to Northern Ireland.
Mr. Tim Smith : Some Great Britain health and safety legislation relates to specific industries--mainly underground coal mining but including some others such as jute processing and nuclear power generation- -which have no presence, or only a minimal presence, in Northern Ireland and it has not been considered necessary to replicate this legislation for Northern Ireland.
The following Great Britain health and safety provisions, of a more general nature, have still to be replicated for Northern Ireland :
Title |Statutory |Footnote
|instrument|number
|number
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1. The Mines and Quarries (Tips)
Regulations 1971 |1971/1377 |1
2. The Mines and Quarries (Tipping
Plans) Rules 1971 |1971/1378 |1
3. The Anthrax Prevention Order
1971 (Exemptions) Regulations
1982 |1982/1418 |2
4. The Gas Safety (Installation and
Use) Regulations 1984 |1984/1358 |3
5. The Dangerous Substances in
Harbour Areas Regulations 1987 |1987/37 |4
6. The Reporting of Injuries,
Diseases and Dangerous
Occurrences (Amendment)
Regulations 1989 |1989/1457 |5
7. The Gas Safety (Installation and
Use) (Amendment) Regulations
1990 |1990/824 |3
8. The Health and Safety (Fees)
Regulations 1993 |1993/1321
9. The Miscellaneous Factories
(Transitional Provisions)
Regulations 1993 |1993/2482
10. The Railways (Safety Case)
Regulations 1994 |1994/237
11. The Railways (Safety Critical
Work) Regulations 1994 |1994/299
12. The Health and Safety (Fees)
Regulations 1994 |1994/397
13. The Carriage of Dangerous Goods
by Road and Rail (Classification,
Packaging and Labelling)
Regulations 1994 |1994/669
14. The Carriage of Dangerous Goods
by Rail Regulations 1994 |1994/670
Footnotes:
1. It is now considered appropriate to replicate these items in view
of the possible commencement of surface gold mining activities in
Northern Ireland.
2. These regulations give powers to grant exemptions from the
requirements of the Anthrax Prevention Order 1971 and while they have
presently no significant relevance for Northern Ireland there is a
possibility that they may have to be replicated at some time in the
future in response to a requirement of the textile industry.
3. These items were not replicated because of the run-down of the
towns gas industry in Northern Ireland. However, it is now
appropriate to consider replication as the application of the
regulations in Great Britain is to be extended to cover liquefied
petroleum gas and also because of plans to bring a natural gas supply
to Northern Ireland.
4. This item has been replicated in so far as it applies to dangerous
substances other than explosives by the Dangerous Substances in
Harbour Areas Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991. It is hoped that
regulations covering explosives will be in place later this year.
5. The application of these regulations to Northern Ireland would
relate to mines only and they have not been replicated because there
is minimal mining activity in Northern Ireland.
Stormont Estate
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (a) Government developments in buildings, car parks and other constructions on (i) the Stormont estate and (ii) within a 2 km radius, commenced since 1988 and specifying their purposes, (b) the developments for which planning permission was applied for and then granted, indicating any planning permission refused as well as specifying which developments and extensions went ahead without any planning permission, (c) which (i) temporary buildings have been pulled down and (ii) land returned to its original use as parkland or agricultural land, specifying the locations and (d) the number of civil service jobs decanted out of the Stormont area since 1988 ; and if it is his intention to return any land concerned from its use for civil service buildings and related developments to parkland.
Mr. Tim Smith : The information is as follows :
(a) (i
(Within the Stormont estate there has been no new provision of general office accommodation or associated car parking since 1988.) (ii
(Within a 2 km radius of Stormont estate, developments which have commenced since 1988 consist of three laboratories, one animal carcase incinerator, one temporary car park and additional car park spaces at Netherleigh, Massey avenue. Planning permission was obtained for all these developments.)
(b
(Planning permission was sought and obtained for all developments which required planning permission, which additionally comprised the following :) Dundonald house--disabled access ramp
Dundonald house--new entrance works and disabled access
Castle buildings--replacement of fire escape
Prince of Wales avenue public toilets--replacement building Massey avenue public toilet and store--replacement buildings Stormont estate boundary fence phase IV
Veterinary science division--three laboratories
Veterinary science division--one animal carcase incinerator Veterinary science division--one temporary car park
The following are permitted developments and therefore do not require planning permission :
Courier headquarters--replacement temporary building
Stormont estate--erection of bus shelters
Stormont castle--works to extend car park
(c) (i
(No temporary buildings have been pulled down.)
(ii
(No land has been returned to parkland or agricultural land as a result of the demolition of temporary buildings., However, a site beside Craigantlet buildings previously hardcored and earmarked for a computer contingency site, has been returned to parkland.) (d
(Approximately 1,017 jobs have been permanently moved out of the Stormont estate since 1988.) No office accommodation has been declared surplus as a result of the outward movement of staff from the Stormont area and there are no plans at present to return any land to its former use.
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