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Women Workers
Mrs. Maddock: To ask the Prime Minister what practical measures he has introduced to help (a) employers in the private sector and (b) employers in the public sector to increase the quality and quantity of
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women's participation in the work force, since the launch of Opportunity 2000 in 1991.Miss Widdecombe: I have been asked to reply.
Opportunity 2000 is an employer-led campaign which the Government have supported since its launch in 1991.
The Employment Department helps private and public sector employers increase the quality and quantity of women's employment by promoting a competitive, efficient and flexible labour market. Details of the ED's initiatives introduced since the launch of Opportunity 2000 are contained in the ED's annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library, and include, the out-of-school child care grant, new horizons for women, and fair play for women.
TREASURY
Corporate Assets (Individual Investments)
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an estimate of the proportion of corporate assets which represent investments financed by individual investment through unit trusts life, endowment insurance and pension contributions.
Mr. Nelson: It is not possible to attribute particular corporate assets to particular sources of funds. However, it can be estimated that about 45 per cent. of company securities are financed by personal sector investments in unit and life assurance and pension funds.
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This estimate is based on information which can be found in tables 5.2D and 9.1E, G, H, I and J of the January edition of "Financial Statistics".International Monetary Fund
Sir Thomas Arnold: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current policy towards Russia within the IMF.
Mr Nelson: Discussions are continuing on an IMF standby agreement linked to a strong programme of economic reform. I look forward to a successful outcome.
Government Spending
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the (a) actual and (b) budgeted Cabinet Office and other spending, as classified in the 1995 96 Red Book, in each year from 1979 to 1994, at 1993 prices; what were the reasons for any material increase in real expenditures in this area; and what was the estimated annual actual expenditure on (a) direct funding to the Cabinet Office, (b) direct funding to the House of Commons and (c) direct funding of the House of Lords for each year from 1979 to 1994 at 1993 prices.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
It is not possible to provide budget figures on the same basis as the actuals which are shown in the 1995 96 Red Book. Expenditure by the Cabinet Office and other spending as classified in the 1995 96 Red Book were as follows:
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|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94|1994-95
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cabinet Office-OPSS
"Red Book" |892 |977 |1,044 |1,108 |1,241 |1,320
at 1993 prices |1,097 |1,113 |1,119 |1,142 |1,241 |1,294
Real increases |1 |16 |6 |23 |99 |53
Cabinet Office-other, etc.
"Red Book" |274 |313 |363 |1,123 |1,233 |1,200
at 1993 prices |337 |357 |389 |1,157 |1,233 |1,176
Real increases |1 |20 |32 |768 |76 |-57
Direct funding at 1993 prices
House of Commons |96 |98 |105 |156 |163 |175
House of Lords |18 |19 |20 |33 |33 |41
Notes:
(a) This information is not available prior to 1989-90 in the form requested and
could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
(b) "other spending" covers expenditure by the Privy Council Office, the
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, the Houses of Parliament and the
National Audit Office.
(c) The increases in OPSS spending over the period reflect the priority accorded by
the Government to the science programme of basic and strategic research, and includes
from 1992-93 to 1994-95 the transfer of funding from the higher education funding
councils to the research councils in respect of certain research projects.
(d) Most of the increase in Cabinet Office-other, etc. relates to the setting up in
1994-95 of the security and intelligence services vote, for which comparable historic
figures are available only back to 1992-93. Other increases relate principally to
capital works and IT projects both in the Cabinet Office and both Houses of
Parliament.
Mortgage Tax Relief
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost of mortgage tax relief in Scotland in each year since 1982 83; what is the estimated cost for 1994 95 and 1995 96; and what would have been the costs in 1994 95 and 1995 96 if relief had been available at 25 per cent. for both years.
Sir George Young [holding answer 16 January 1995]: Estimates for the years in question are given in the table.
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Cost of mortgage interest
relief in Scotland
|£ million
-------------------------------
1982-83 |140
1983-84 |190
1984-85 |260
1985-86 |350
1986-87 |300
1987-88 |310
1988-89 |370
1989-90 |470
1990-91 |530
1991-92 |420
1992-93 |340
1993-94 |280
1994-95<1> |<2>300
1995-96<1> |<3>240
<1> Assumes, by convention, no
changes from current interest
rates.
<2> Relief at 20 per cent.
<3> Relief at 15 per cent.
The estimates for 1994 95 and 1995 96 are approximate and are based on the regional distribution of mortgages shown by the 1993 family expenditure survey applied to the United Kingdom total estimates for these years.
The corresponding costs in 1994 95 and 1995 96 for relief at 25 per cent. are estimated to be £380 million and £410 million respectively.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Malcom Bruce: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the total departmental expenditures and planned expenditure on trade and industry by his Department and its predecessors for each year from 1979 to 1998 in 1993 prices; showing also expenditures on research and development and expenditure data for industrial support.
Mr. Heseltine: Total expenditure figures in cash terms for the DTI and its predecessors from 1979 80 are available as follows: "The Government's Expenditure Plans", published in January of each year by Her Majesty's Treasury for the period to 1990 91:
Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Energy Departmental Reports, published in February/March of each year, for the period from 1991 92 to 1992 93:
Department of Trade and Industry Departmental Reports published from 1993 94 onwards which reflect the merger in 1992 with the former Department of Energy.
Figures for 1993 94 and forward year plans to 1997 98 will be included in the next edition of the Department of Trade and Industry's departmental report, due to be published in late February or early March this year.
These publications also include details of spending on industrial support. Details of spending on research and development, also in cash terms, are provided in the "Annual Review of Government-funded R and D" published each year from 1983 to 1992 and subsequently replaced by the annual "Forward Look of Government-funded Science, Engineering and Technology". Plans for 1997 98 are not yet available, but will be included in the 1995 edition, due to be published in early summer 1995.
The cash terms figures may be adjusted to reflect 1993 94 prices by means of the GDP deflators which are shown in table 6A.1 on page 131 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1995 96". Copies of documents referred to above which have already been published are available in the Library of the House. The remainder will be placed in the Library upon publication.
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Iraq (Sanctions)
Mr. Cousins: To ask the President of the Board of Trade which countries were listed as likely diversionary routes for the avoidance of sanctions against Iraq in the letter from his Department to various British exporting companies dated September 1990; and why those countries were selected for mention.
Mr. Ian Taylor: The letter sent to a large number of British companies in September 1990 concerning UN sanctions against Iraq did not include a list of countries.
Training Courses
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list each training and tuition course with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies during the last 12 months, showing the title and objectives of each course, the name of the organisations engaged, the total cost of each course, a summary of the responsibilities of staff members taking part and the process for course evaluation by the Department or agency.
Mr. Heseltine: The information in respect of civil servants in my Department and its agencies for the calendar year 1994 is as follows:
|Description and cost
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title |Oxford Strategic Leadership
|Programme
Objectives |To help senior managers to
|develop their strategic
|leadership skills. Allowing them
|to apply these skills in the
|workplace.
Organisation |Templeton college, Oxford
Total cost |£10,575
Number of attendees |2
Responsibilities of attendees |Senior Managers in the
|Government Office for the
|South East
Evaluation |Verbal feedback and written
|course appraisal from trainees
|on specific forms. Follow-up
|forms sent to trainees and line
|managers eight weeks after the
|course to assess how effective it
|had been.
No DTI staff have attended any other training or tuition courses in that period where the cost for the individual exceeded £5,000.
Biological and Chemical Weapons
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West, (Mr. Flynn) Official Report, 20 December 1994, column 1045, on the import of biological and chemical warfare weapons materials and their precursors, what are the reasons for the unavailability of the information requested.
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Mr. Needham: The United Kingdom classification of commodities for overseas trade is based on the harmonised commodity description and coding system, an internationally agreed system of classification which incorporates the headings of the combined nomenclature of the European Communities. This classification does not specifically identify the materials in question. As a consequence, the official trade statistics of the United Kingdom cannot distinguish between the materials in question and related commodities. An analysis of import licences issued by this Department would not provide the required information because it is unlikely that an individual import licence would be required for many of the commodities concerned.
Nuclear Materials Trafficking
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer of 20 December to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central, (Mr. Cousins) Official Report, columns 1043 44, what additional funds Her Majesty's Government have offered the International Atomic Energy Agency to meet its intensified activities to combat nuclear materials trafficking.
Mr. Charles Wardle: As I stated in my answer to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 20 December 1994, Official Report, columns 1043 44, the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency will resume its discussions on the director general's report on illicit trafficking at its meeting in March. Any detailed consideration of funding issues would be premature in advance of this meeting, which will establish the nature of IAEA involvement.
Departmental Employees
Mrs. Maddock: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many employees for which his Department is responsible were women (a) in 1991, (b) in 1992, (c) in 1993 and (d) in 1994; and, of these, how many were (i) at grade 7 level, (ii) at grade 3 level, (iii) at executive officer level, (iv) at administrative officer level and (v) at administrative assistant level.
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Mr. Ian Taylor: The information requested is set out in the following table:
Headcount of women in the Department of Trade and Industry by
grade level at 1 April 1991-1994
Grade level |1991<1> |1992<1> |1993 |1994
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G3 |4 |5 |6 |7
G7 |117 |129 |162 |176
EO |1,061 |1,067 |1,113 |1,054
AO |1,964 |1,944 |2,020 |1,886
AA |1,815 |1,756 |1,636 |1,395
Total number of women
employed in Department |5,617 |5,592 |5,700 |5,309
<1> The Department of Energy joined DTI in 1992. The figures for 1991 and 1992
therefore exclude former Department of Energy staff.
Grenade Launcher Exports
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of grenade launcher exports in each of the last five years.
Mr. Ian Taylor: The published information is not sufficiently detailed to identify the value of exports of specific weapons. The information available for harmonised system commodity code 9301 0000-- "military weapons (other than revolvers, pistols, swords, cutlasses, bayonets, lances, etc.)"--is published in Central Statistical Office business monitors MM20 and MQ20, "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
Export Credits Guarantee Advisory Committee
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all of the members of the Export Credits Guarantee Advisory Committee, with their corporate or other affiliation for each year since 1985.
Mr. Needham: The information requested is as follows:
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Appointment
|Commenced |Ended
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R.J. Dent Esq. |Baring Brothers |1 August 1980 |1985
J.N. Scott Esq. |The General Electric Co. |1 August 1980 |1986
Sir Jeffrey Benson |National Westminster Bank |1 September 1981 |1987
W.J.A. Dacombe Esq. |Rea Brothers plc |1 August 1982 |1986
M.D. McWilliam Esq. |Standard Chartered Bank |1 August 1982 |1987
W. Hogbin Esq. CBE |Taylor Woodrow International Ltd |1 August 1983 |1988
W.G. Barrett Esq. |Midland Bank |1 August 1983 |1986
R.H. George Esq. CB |Celluware Group |1 June 1984 |1991
E.L. Brooks Esq |Rothmans International plc |1 November 1984 |1991
P.W. Bulfield Esq |J. Henry Schroder Wagg and Co. |1 October 1985 |1988
T.W.B. Sallitt Esq. CBE |Hawker Siddeley Group |1 April 1986 |1990
Sir Peter Leslie |Barclays Bank plc |1 September 1986 |1992
A.G. Gormly Esq. CBE |Trafalgar House plc |1 February 1988 |1994
Hon. D. Douglas-Home CBE |Morgan Grenfell and Co. |1 March 1988 |1993
S.M.F. Harris Esq. |Guardian Royal Exchange |1 March 1988 |1991
Prof. K. Scholes |Sheffield Business School |1 April 1988 |1991
D.G. Eustace Esq. |British Aerospace plc |1 August 1988 |1992
F.M.P. Riding Esq. |Lloyds Bank plc |1 August 1988 |1991
R.T. Fox Esq. CBE |Kleinwort Benson Group |1 July 1991 |-
Sir Derek Thomas KCMG |N M Rothschild and Son Ltd. |1 October 1991 |-
C. Smallwood Esq. |TSB Group plc |1 October 1991 |1994
Sir Robert Davidson |Balfour Beatty Ltd. |1 October 1991 |-
Viscount Weir |The Weir Group plc |1 November 1991 |-
J.W. Melbourn Esq. |National Westminster Bank |1 November 1991 |-
G.W. Lynch Esq. |Hiscox Syndicates Ltd. |1 July 1993 |-
B.P. Dewe Mathews Esq. |J. Henry Schroder Wagg and Co. |1 July 1993 |-
T.M. Evans Esq. CBE |Foster Wheeler Ltd. |1 August 1993 |-
Sir Frank Lampl |Bovis Construction Group |1 August 1993 |-
D.B. Newlands Esq |The General Electric Co. |1 August 1993 |-
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what remuneration the members of the Export Credits Guarantee Advisory Committee receive.
Mr. Needham: Members of the Export Guarantees Advisory Council receive no remuneration for their services.
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what selection criteria there are governing appointments to the Exports Credits Guarantee Advisory Committee.
Mr. Needham: Members of the Export Guarantees Advisory Council are appointed by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and are drawn from senior levels of the banking, commercial and industrial sectors. Members are chosen for their expertise in their particular field and their experience of export credit business.
Land Mines
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the occasions when the Export Credits Guarantee Department has advanced credits to cover the export of land mines over the last five years.
Gas Market (Competition)
Sir John Hannam: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for consultation on the choice of areas for the extension of competition in the gas market which he has proposed would be introduced from 1996 to 1998.
Mr. Eggar: I have today published a consultation document jointly with the Director General of Gas Supply, Clare Spottiswoode, on the choice of the initial areas for the phased extension of competition into the gas market between 1996 and 1998.
Subject to enactment of the proposed Bill by Parliament, we propose a first phase starting in April 1996 which would introduce competitive gas supply to a geographic area of Great Britain containing up to 500,000 premises which consume less than 2,500 therms of gas a year. A second phase starting from a date in 1997 would extend competition to an area or areas containing a total of 2 million such premises. Finally, from a date in 1998, it is intended that the entire gas market in Great Britain, some 18 million premises, should be open to competitive supply.
We intend to announce the prospective areas chosen as soon as possible, so that, subject to parliamentary consideration of the Bill, all may plan accordingly. Once we have considered the responses to the document, my aim is to make an announcement early in March.
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The initial phases are important steps in the proposed move to full competition at the national level in 1998. They will provide an opportunity to ensure the satisfactory operation of the new management and computer systems necessary to ensure the accurate measurement, balancing and allocation of gas. Systems will also be needed to ensure the orderly handover of responsibility where a consumer decides to change supplier. The phased introduction of competition will allow those responsible for these systems time to ensure their fully satisfactory operation.It will be convenient if the area chosen is geographically well delineated and coincides with existing administrative boundaries and clearly demarcated part of the gas pipeline network. We should like the area chosen to contain examples of the full cross section of types of premises and customer and include both urban and rural environments. The area chosen should provide a good test of the arrangements for measuring gas and so on, and handling changes of customer.
Subject to these other factors, we consider it would also be reasonable, in choosing the initial area to benefit from competition, to take into account the pattern of regional transportation charge differentials which were introduced in October 1994. The independent suppliers have said that they expect to offer average savings of some 10 per cent. on current BG prices. Within that pattern, they may--or may not--choose to pass on the differential transportation charges, which amount to around plus/minus 2 per cent. of final prices. I have noted in this context the recommendation of the Trade and Industry Select Committee that
"areas likely to be disadvantaged by cost reflective charges should be included amongst those selected".
In the consultation document, we are seeking views on the choice of the initial area in 1996. We are also seeking views as to whether the area for the second phase in 1997 should be:
(i) a single geographic area (enlarging the area for the first phase); or
(ii) split between two or more distinct areas (of which the first phase area would be one or part of one).
There may be some technical arguments in favour of the first alternative. On the other hand, the second alternative would enable more than one area to gain experience of competition.
In order to gain as much information as possible from the initial phases of competition, the Director General of Gas Supply may invite consumers and appropriate representative groups and persons to supply information to help her monitor the development of competition. It will therefore be helpful if representative organisations in the area concerned are prepared to assist in this process. Parliament will have an opportunity to debate the issues
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related to the initial phases of competition during the passage of the forthcoming Gas Bill.The consultation document has been sent to all local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales as well as to all Members of Parliament, consumer groups and the gas industry. Copies have also been placed in the Printed Paper Office in the House of Lords. The deadline for responses is 24 February.
Further copies of the document can be obtained from the Library of the Office of Gas Supply, 16 Palace street, London SW1E 5JD, telephone 0171 932 1602/3/4.
British Coal
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the land and property in the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency which currently remains in the ownership of British Coal Property.
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Mr. Eggar [holding answer 19 January 1995]: The land and property owned by British Coal are matters for the corporation and I will draw the hon. Member's interest to the attention of the chairman.
Export Credits
Mr. Byers: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what value of export credits for capital goods and projects were advanced (i) in total and (ii) in respect of defence exports for each year since 1980 and for (a) Pakistan, (b) India, (c) Nigeria, (d) Indonesia, (e) Jordan, (f) Kenya, (g) Sri Lanka, (h) the Philippines, (i) Saudi Arabia, (j) Malaysia, (k) Turkey, (i) Qatar, (m) Thailand, (n) Kuwait, (o) the United Arab Emirates, (p) Bharain, (q) Oman,
(r) Brunei and (s) Egypt.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 20 January 1995]: The values requested are set out in the following tables:
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ECGD experience on defence business-(£ million) for specific markets requested
|1980-81|1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bahrain |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Brunei |0 |0 |1 |0 |3 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Egypt |0 |0 |0 |12 |0 |11 |111 |70 |2 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
India |0 |7 |0 |219 |0 |19 |1 |17 |0 |25 |0 |0 |0 |0
Indonesia |0 |54 |24 |0 |109 |83 |51 |6 |3 |0 |3 |2 |442 |6
Jordan |0 |30 |0 |0 |15 |0 |202 |91 |99 |0 |0 |0 |14 |0
Kenya |0 |0 |0 |0 |108 |0 |0 |0 |43 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Kuwait |0 |0 |0 |73 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |580
Malaysia |0 |0 |28 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |187 |272 |377 |19
Nigeria |0 |39 |278 |3 |47 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Oman |305 |62 |61 |0 |4 |17 |37 |0 |0 |0 |350 |0 |44 |344
Pakistan |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |6 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Philippines |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Qatar |0 |80 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |5 |5 |0 |129 |218
Saudi Arabia |0 |0 |24 |0 |0 |6 |0 |0 |450 |0 |0 |0 |225 |750
Sri Lanka |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Thailand |0 |0 |0 |0 |4 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Turkey |0 |0 |0 |75 |8 |70 |0 |0 |0 |31 |24 |0 |1 |0
UAE |0 |0 |96 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |188 |0 |0 |356 |0
ECGD total capital goods and project business experience-(£ million) for specific markets requested
|1980-81|1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bahrain |17 |64 |4 |20 |7 |2 |0 |3 |0 |0 |0 |0 |35 |32
Brunei |0 |0 |1 |0 |3 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Egypt |25 |58 |77 |41 |157 |35 |202 |118 |5 |111 |21 |59 |12 |0
India |52 |42 |627 |224 |75 |36 |86 |83 |5 |80 |70 |13 |102 |209
Indonesia |9 |150 |566 |301 |249 |140 |73 |48 |67 |52 |150 |124 |450 |100
Jordan |188 |42 |1 |26 |18 |0 |240 |103 |152 |41 |0 |0 |14 |0
Kenya |5 |4 |48 |14 |126 |3 |50 |23 |45 |1 |128 |0 |0 |0
Kuwait |0 |18 |12 |73 |18 |1 |2 |0 |1 |0 |0 |8 |0 |614
Malaysia |0 |43 |32 |0 |19 |0 |226 |0 |0 |0 |256 |697 |377 |19
Nigeria |272 |246 |1,041 |471 |121 |0 |23 |0 |34 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Oman |305 |66 |415 |306 |41 |77 |66 |0 |0 |0 |350 |0 |45 |413
Pakistan |16 |0 |25 |0 |8 |1 |1 |0 |6 |0 |0 |41 |37 |12
Philippines |37 |52 |16 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |37 |29 |0 |19 |0
Qatar |0 |85 |4 |3 |1 |0 |1 |5 |0 |5 |5 |0 |129 |218
Saudi Arabia |0 |19 |58 |12 |27 |52 |0 |15 |450 |0 |0 |17 |225 |751
Sri Lanka |0 |12 |39 |32 |54 |0 |80 |2 |5 |0 |0 |11 |63 |0
Thailand |4 |34 |5 |7 |4 |23 |10 |0 |13 |8 |0 |0 |25 |6
Turkey |16 |4 |0 |75 |8 |165 |38 |49 |125 |55 |51 |175 |130 |112
UAE |0 |0 |96 |0 |0 |1 |0 |33 |0 |188 |0 |0 |356 |0
Mr. Byers: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the average political risk premium for Export Credits Guarantee Department cover for exports to Saudi Arabia for each six-month period since January 1991.
Mr. Needham: [holding answer 20 January 1995]: For reasons of commercial confidentiality, the ECGD does not make public premium rates for individual countries.
Railway Station, Stratford
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions in the last six months civil servants in his Department met persons representative of interests in Stratford, London, to discuss matters relating to proposals for a new Stratford station.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 23 January 1995]: There have been no meetings between civil servants in this Department and persons representative of interests in Stratford in the last six months, although officials here have been kept well apprised of Stratford's interests in the proposals for a new station.
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions and on what date he, Ministers or former Ministers in his Department met persons in Stratford, London, to discuss matters relating to the implications of a new railway station at Stratford.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 23 January 1995]: On 13 January 1994, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Sir T. Sainsbury) when Minister for Trade, met the Stratford promoters group; and on 28 April 1994 I visited Stratford and was briefed by local representatives on the implications of a new railway station.
Sunday Trading
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if the Sunday Fairs Act 1448 (27 Hen VI c 5) is in force; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if the Statute of Northampton 1328 (2 Edward III c 15) is in force; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if the Statute (1331) 5 Edward III (5 Edward III c 5) is in force; and if he will make a statement;
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(4) if the Sale of Horses Act 1555 (2 and 3 Phil and Mar c 7) and the Sale of Horses Act 1588 (31 Eliz I c 12) are still in force; and if he will make a statement;(5) if the Fairs Act 1871 (34 and 35 Vict c 78) and the Fairs Act 1873 (36 and 37 Vict c 37) are still in force; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: I have been asked to reply.
With the exception of the Fairs Act of 1871 and 1873, all of the statutes mentioned have been repealed. The Fairs Acts of 1871 and 1873 empower my right hon. and learned Friend to make an order either abolishing certain types of fair or changing the day or days on which such fairs are held.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Pensioner Incomes
Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the proportion of pensioners receiving income from an occupational pension identified as (a) all pensioners, (b) single male pensioners aged under 75 years, (c) single female pensioners aged under 75 years, (d) single pensioners aged under 75 years, (e) pensioner couples aged under 75 years, (f) single male pensioners aged 75 years and over, (g) single female pensioners aged 75 years and over, (h) single pensioners aged 75 years and over and (i) pensioner couples where at least one partner is aged 75 years and over; and if he will provide figures for the mean and the median amount received for the latest year in which figures are available.
Mr. Arbuthnot: The information is in the table.
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The proportion of pensioners with income from occupational pensions with the mean and median amounts for
those in receipt
|Percentage with
|occupational |Mean amount |Median amount
|pension |(£ per week) |(£ per week)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All pensioners |60 |71.70 |37.80
Single male pensioners under 75 |55 |67.90 |31.20
Single female pensioners under 75 |60 |52.90 |31.60
Single pensioners under 75 |59 |53.90 |31.50
Pensioner couples under 75 |73 |97.10 |54.80
Single male pensioners aged 75 and over |51 |56.50 |23.50
Single female pensioners aged 75 and over |47 |50.10 |24.30
Single pensioners aged 75 and over |48 |51.70 |24.10
Pensioner couples aged 75 and over |68 |78.20 |41.50
Notes:
1. Percentages are rounded to the nearest 1 per cent., amounts rounded to the nearest 10p.
2. Estimates are drawn from the 1992 family expenditure survey and the GAD 1991 occupational pension
schemes survey, at July 1992 prices.
3. Single pensioners are defined as those over state pension age, couples are those where the husband is
over state pension age.
4. Couples aged under 75 are defined by the age of the husband.
Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples who have total gross weekly incomes of £0 to £50, £51 to £100, £101 to £150, £151 to £200, £201 to £250, £251 to £300, £301 to £350, £351 to £400, £401 to £450, £451 to £500 and £500 and above.
Mr. Arbuthnot: The available information is in the table. Owing to difficulties with sample sizes, it has been
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necessary to amalgamate some income bands in order to provide reliable estimates.
Weekly gross income distribution-pensioner units
1992 pensioner couples
|Up to|Up to|Up to|Up to|Over
|£150 |£200 |£250 |£350 |£350
---------------------------------------------------
Numbers (000s) |900 |600 |300 |400 |400
Percentage |36 |22 |12 |16 |14
Single pensioners
|Up to|Up to|Up to|Over
|£100 |£150 |£250 |£250
---------------------------------------------
Numbers (000s) |2,700|900 |500 |400
Percentage |60 |21 |11 |8
Notes:
1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest
hundred thousand. Percentages are rounded to
the nearest whole per cent. and may not sum
to 100.
2. Estimates are drawn from the 1992 family
expenditure survey.
3. Pensioner units are defined as single
people over state pension age and couples in
which the husband is over state pension age.
Bronchitis and Emphysema
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applicants for benefit under the chronic bronchitis and emphysema regulations were turned down because the X-ray did not show category 1 pneumoconiosis; and of these in how many a post mortem examination revealed evidence of pneumoconiosis.
Mr. Hague: By 30 November 1994, 14,600 out of 44,594 claims for benefit had been disallowed because an X-ray did not show at least category 1 pneumoconiosis. The information requested in respect of post mortem examinations is not available.
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applicants for benefit under the chronic bronchitis and emphysema regulations had to obtain fresh X-rays because of over-exposure of previous X-rays.
Mr. Hague: Any necessary X-rays are obtained by the Benefits Agency. Information on the number of any new X-rays required because of over- exposure of previous X-rays is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applicants for benefit under the chronic bronchitis and emphysema regulations received new X-rays before examination.
Mr. Hague: The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Family Incomes
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the average net incomes before and after housing costs, after tax and benefits of (a) a lone mother of two children working 20 hours per week paying an average council rent and (b) a married man with two children and a dependent non-working wife working 40 hours per week paying an average council rent; and if he will give details of the calculation of each benefit to which they may be entitled on the basis of hourly pay rates of (i) £3.50, (ii) £4 and (iii) £5.
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