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Merseyside Development Corporation
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will meet the creditors of the Merseyside development corporation; if he will provide for their claims for compensation from public funds; and if he will make a statement.
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Sir Paul Beresford: Any matters which might arise between the MDC and any creditors it may have would be for the parties concerned.
Housing, West Midlands
Ms Estelle Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what considerations underlay the proposal in the draft Government regional planning guidance for the west midlands that the 20-year housing needs assessment should be reviewed in June; what account this took of (a) population projections and (b) shortage of land; and if he will make it his policy to introduce a quinquennial review of land needs.
Sir Paul Beresford: The draft regional planning guidance for the west midlands proposes that the Forum of Local Authorities should review the housing figures by June, in order to take into account new household projections, which are to be published shortly. The housing figures in the draft guidance were based on the figures submitted by the Forum of Local Authorities, which took account of household projections and the current land availability. Regional planning guidance is expected to be revised on average every five years, providing an opportunity for the review of land needs.
Fuels
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effects on the environment of the use of (a) petrol, (b) diesel and (c) oxygenated petrol.
Mr. Atkins: Petrol and diesel have known environmental benefits and disbenefits for both global and local environments, but the environmental case for oxygenated petrol is not yet clear. Government will continue to keep these under review, and participate fully in the setting of standards for vehicle emissions and fuel formulation at a European level, in particular in the light of the forthcoming report from the European tripartite initiative on future engine and fuel technologies.
Disabled People
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion and number of non-industrial civil servants in the Departments and agencies for which he has responsibility are registered disabled and disabled as defined by the Cabinet Office document "Focus on Ability".
Sir Paul Beresford: The following information covers non-industrial staff in my Department, excluding Property Services Agency Services:
Registered disabled |Non-registered |Combined staff |disabled staff |percentage of total -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 70 |68 |2.0
Training Courses
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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
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each course, a summary of the responsibilities of staff members taking part and the process for course evaluation by his Department or agency.Sir Paul Beresford: This information is not held centrally and could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.
Construction Contracts
Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to implement the recommendations of the Latham report with particular reference to a construction contract Bill; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to report and legislate on the recommendations of the Latham report.
Mr. Robert B. Jones: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will chair a meeting of the standing strategic group for the construction industry on 7 February, at which the recommendations of the review implementation forum for taking forward the proposals in the Latham report will be discussed. We have made it clear that we are prepared in principle to legislate on these proposals subject to agreement on the need for and form of such legislation.
Opencast Coal Sites
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many suggested opencast coal sites are registered in the national land bank;
(2) if he will publish the names and the locations of opencast coal sites registered in the national land bank.
Sir Paul Beresford: This Department does not hold a register of opencast coal or proposed opencast coal sites.
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the opencast coal sites working as at 3 January giving details of locations.
Sir Paul Beresford: This information is not held centrally.
Business Rates
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance he can offer to any business which is facing economic difficulties because of high increases in business rates; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robert B. Jones: The 1995 revaluation of all non-domestic property takes effect on 1 April. Transitional relief will ensure that rate bills will not rise because of the revaluation by more than 10 per cent. a year after allowing for inflation. Maximum increases for properties with a rateable value less than £10,000--£15,000 in Greater London--will be 7.5 per cent. after allowing for inflation. The Government have pledged some £500 million towards the cost of the relief for England in 1995 96.
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the impact the increased valuation of non-domestic properties will have on business in Yorkshire.
Mr. Robert B. Jones: We estimate that without transitional relief, the average increase in rates bills in 1995 96 as a result of the 1995 revaluation for North
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Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire taken together would have been 36 per cent. Transitional arrangements will limit these increases to 7.5 per cent., after allowing for inflation, for property with a rateable value below £10,000. Property with a rateable value above these thresholds will have increases limited to 10 per cent. after allowing for inflation. The average increase in rate bills in Yorkshire after transitional relief is 9 per cent. This relief is worth £185 million.Business Rates
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average increase in valuations being received by businesses in the Normanton constituency; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robert B. Jones: Information for the Normanton parliamentary constituency is not available. However, the average increase in rates bills for 1995-96, after transitional relief, in the Wakefield metropolitan district is 10 per cent. Without transitional relief the average increase would have been 32 per cent. The relief is worth £11 million to ratepayers in Wakefield.
Agenda 21
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what monitoring he is undertaking of the progress by local authorities in the implementation of Agenda 21; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robert B. Jones: Local authorities' implementation of Agenda 21- -the report from the UN Conference on Environment and Development--is carried out individually and through their national "local Agenda 21 initiative". Monitoring this is a matter for local government. I have regular discussions about progress, however, with local government representatives in the central and local government environment forum.
Leasehold
Mr. Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 24 January, Official Report, column 111, if he will make it his policy to introduce modifications to part 2 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, to remedy shortcomings identified in the interim report of the leasehold enfranchisement advisory service.
Mr. Robert B. Jones: I consider it far too soon since the enactment of the 1993 Act to be considering major revisions to the enfranchisement rights which it contained. With the help of the leasehold enfranchisement advisory service, we will, of course, continue to keep these provisions under review.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the outcome of consultation on the local government finance settlement; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer: I am today laying before the House the Local Government Finance Report (England) 1995 96, the Limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Relevant Notional Amounts) Report (England) 1995 96 and the Special Grant Report (No. 12). These reports establish the
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amounts of revenue support grant and non- domestic rates to be paid to local authorities in 1995 96, and the basis of their distribution; specify the amounts which are to be used as the basis of comparison for measuring increases in certain local authorities' budgets in 1995 96 for the purpose of capping, and provide for a special grant to be paid to certain authorities for 1995 96. Two hundred authorities made written representations and Ministers met 90 delegations from local councils.I shall be sending copies of these reports to all authorities as soon as possible, together with a table showing each authority's standard spending assessment and its entitlement to RSG, NDR and special grant. I have also placed copies of the reports and the table in the Library and the Vote Office.
Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what reserves are currently held by each county council;
(2) what reserves were held by each county council at the latest date for which figures are available.
Mr. Robert B. Jones: The latest available estimate of the level of reserves as at 1 April 1994 are given. These estimates are subject to amendment as authorities finalise their accounts. Compatible data on the use of balances in 1994 95 which would be needed to derive an estimate of the level of reserves at 1 April 1995 are not yet available.
Estimated Level of Reserves<1> at 1 April
1994<2>
|Outturn
|£000
-------------------------------------------
Avon |27,608
Bedfordshire |22,788
Berkshire |83,457
Buckinghamshire |47,590
Cambridgeshire |56,532
Cheshire |48,563
Cleveland |22,713
Cornwall |31,725
Cumbria |11,336
Derbyshire |<3>11,600
Devon |51,858
Dorset |10,201
Durham |20,359
East Sussex |35,010
Essex |74,504
Gloucestershire |19,293
Hampshire |92,717
Hereford and Worcester |24,376
Hertfordshire |56,403
Humberside |32,436
Isle of Wight |3,774
Kent |47,747
Lancashire |72,114
Leicestershire |16,845
Lincolnshire |46,650
Norfolk |33,850
Northamptonshire |12,820
Northumberland |18,239
North Yorkshire |36,604
Nottinghamshire |13,203
Oxfordshire |25,557
Shropshire |7,232
Somerset |36,476
Staffordshire |48,424
Suffolk |28,102
Surrey |74,955
Warwickshire |15,591
West Sussex |16,818
Wiltshire |23,957
Notes:
<1> These reserves include those held for
local management of schools and other
purposes which may not be available to the
council for general use.
<2> Source: Level of reserves-outturn-at 1
April 1993 +/- appropriations
to/withdrawals from reserves 1993-94-(RS
return for 1993-94.
<3> Level of reserves-revised estimate-at
1 April 1994-RA returns for 1994-95.
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total proposed expenditure in each local authority area by (a) urban development corporations, (b) English Partnerships and (c) inner- city tasks forces for 1995 96.
Mr. Curry: Planned gross expenditure in 1995 96 by each urban development corporation is set out in table A. Where the urban development area crosses local authority boundaries, each local authority is listed.
Planned expenditure by English Partnerships in 1995 96 is expected to be £263.2 million including the use of receipts.
The national allocation for task forces in 1995 96 is £13.0 million and the local authority areas where task force expenditure is expected are set out in table B. Budgets for individual task forces have not yet been decided, but those task forces which remain open for the whole financial year will each receive a budget of about £1 million. For task forces which have closed, expenditure will be limited to commitments made before closure.
TABLE A: Planned gross expenditure by UDCs in 1995-96
UDC |Gross
|expenditure
|£000 |Local authority
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Birmingham Heartlands |13,438 |Birmingham City
| Council
Black Country |37,270 |Sandwell
|BC Walsall BC
|Wolverhampton BC
Bristol |13,322 |Bristol City Council
Central Manchester |12,558 |Manchester City
| Council
Leeds |200 |Leeds City Council
London Docklands<1> |89,900 |LB Newham
|LB Southwark
|LB Tower Hamlets
Merseyside |34,000 |Liverpool City Council
|Sefton BC
|Wirral BC
Plymouth |11,750 |Plymouth City Council
Sheffield |17,156 |Sheffield City Council
Teeside |52,650 |Hartlepool BC
|Langbaurgh BC
|Stockton on Tees BC
|Middlesborough BC
Trafford Park |29,400 |Trafford BC
|Salford City Council
Tyne and Wear |53,731 |Newcastle City Council
|North Tyneside BC
|South Tyneside BC
|Sunderland BC
Note:
<1>Excludes DLR proposed gross expenditure of £38.7 million.
TABLE B: Local authority areas with task force expenditure in
1995-96
Local authority area |Task force
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bradford |Bradford
Kingston upon Hull |Hull
London Borough of Lewisham |<1>Deptford
London Borough of Hackney |Hackney
London Borough of Southwark |<2>North Peckham
London Borough of Haringey
London Borough of Hammersmith and
Fulham |<2>West London
South Tyneside |South Tyneside
Stockton on Tees |Stockton and
| Thornaby
Derby |Derby
Nottingham |<1>Nottingham
Birmingham |Newtown/Ladywood
Birmingham |<2>East Birmingham
Manchester |<1>Moss Side and
| Hulme
Wirral Metropolitan Borough |Wirral
Liverpool |Granby/Toxteth
Plymouth |Plymouth
Bristol |<2>Bristol
<1> Closing at the end of 1994-1995.
<2> Closed.
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the allocation made to each local authority in 1993 94 from (a) the urban partnership, (b) estate action and (c) the derelict and grant programmes.
Mr. Curry: Expenditure by local authority area in 1993 94 on the urban partnership fund, estate action and derelict land grant is set out in the table.
Expenditure in 1993-94 on the Urban Partnership Fund (UPF),
Estate Action and Derelict Land Grant (DLG).
£000s
|Estate
Local authority |UPF |action |DLG
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allerdale |- |900 |898
Alnwick |- |866 |-
Amber Valley |- |- |47
Barking and Dagenham |- |- |254
Barnet |- |1,202 |-
Barnsley |- |4,599 |1,576
Barrow in Furness |- |600 |52
Basildon |- |850 |-
Bassetlaw |- |- |1
Bath |- |1,195 |152
Bedford |- |- |11
Bedfordshire |- |- |4
Bexley |- |- |14
Birmingham |245 |19,342 |1,008
Blackburn |- |4,953 |39
Blackpool |- |650 |75
Blyth Valley |- |1,277 |-
Bolsover |- |94 |106
Bolton |224 |2,025 |569
Boston |- |81 |-
Boothferry |- |- |12
Bradford |- |4,800 |1,312
Braintree |- |- |6
Brent |125 |- |36
Bristol |500 |6,285 |-
Broxbourne |- |323 |-
Burnley |137 |2,291 |103
Bury |- |485 |1,260
Calderdale |- |3,230 |3,278
Cambridge |- |4 |26
Camden |- |305 |4
Cannock Chase |- |300 |278
Canterbury |- |156 |-
Caradon |- |- |677
Carlisle |- |2,255 |-
Carrick |- |- |87
Charnwood |- |- |17
Cheltenham |- |323 |-
Cheshire |- |- |3,229
Chester |- |750 |20
Chesterfield |- |659 |154
Chester le Street |- |250 |-
Chorley |- |- |970
Cleveland |- |- |6
Colchester |- |481 |-
Congleton |- |- |86
Copeland |- |1,050 |-
Corby |- |2,900 |1,811
Cornwall |- |- |536
Coventry |2,600 |5,937 |123
Craven |- |778 |-
Crewe and Nantwich |- |300 |1
Croydon |- |- |27
Cumbria |- |- |4,123
Darlington |- |535 |235
Dartford |- |- |22
Daventry |- |- |57
Derby |175 |6,577 |11
Derbyshire |- |- |2,221
Derbyshire Dales |- |- |92
Derwentside |- |3,062 |2,203
Devon |1,239 |- |-
Doncaster |70 |1,867 |1,629
Dudley |282 |2,834 |3,742
Durham |- |130 |1,065
Ealing |- |510 |36
Easington |- |1,572 |117
East Yorkshire |- |270 |-
Eden |- |300 |-
Ellesmere Port and Neston |- |2,239 |1,990
Enfield |- |141 |-
Erewash |- |413 |1,346
Fenland |- |155 |-
Forest of Dean |- |- |36
Gateshead |378 |200 |2,169
Gedling |- |- |5
Gillingham |- |272 |-
Glanford |- |- |5,164
Gloucester |- |721 |-
Gosport |- |- |5
Gravesham |- |- |84
Great Grimsby |- |600 |4
Great Yarmouth |- |532 |47
Greenwich |345 |2,970 |266
Guildford |- |- |33
Hackney |125 |9,081 |-
Halton |- |1,956 |1,166
Hammersmith and Fulham |81 |2,077 |-
Haringey |- |4,616 |-
Harrogate |- |298 |-
Hartlepool |150 |1,486 |-
Hastings |- |- |35
Hereford and Worcester |- |- |14
Hertfordshire |- |- |14
High Peak |- |1,055 |-
Hillingdon |- |750 |-
Hinckley and Bosworth |- |- |6
Hounslow |- |2,221 |-
Humberside |- |- |50
Huntingdonshire |- |378 |12
Hyndburn |- |1,494 |297
Ipswich |- |292 |17
Islington |1,040 |5,233 |-
Kensington and Chelsea |- |1,450 |-
Kent |- |- |48
Kerrier |- |- |1,502
King's Lynn and West Norfolk |- |- |2
Kingston upon Hull |25 |4,323 |176
Kingswood |- |- |3
Kirklees |1,140 |4,013 |1,927
Knowsley |1,000 |3,174 |610
Lambeth |- |6,652 |263
Lancashire |- |- |243
Lancaster |- |- |3,276
Langbaurgh on Tees |127 |1,523 |85
Leeds |300 |6,472 |253
Leicester |233 |7,127 |4
Leicestershire |- |- |404
Lewisham |- |9,884 |32
Lichfield |- |- |103
Lincoln |- |290 |313
Lincolnshire |- |- |55
Liverpoool |1,065 |19,338 |986
Luton |- |- |8
Macclesfield |- |191 |217
Maidstone |- |744 |-
Manchester |350 |17,327 |3,249
Mansfield |- |500 |1,812
Melton |- |106 |-
Merton |- |199 |23
Middlesbrough |36 |678 |44
Newark and Sherwood |- |790 |188
Newcastle under Lyme |- |213 |433
Newcastle upon Tyne |250 |3,064 |455
Newham |326 |7,600 |292
North Cornwall |- |- |7
North East Derbyshire |- |363 |323
North Kesteven |- |158 |-
North Norfolk |- |- |49
North Tyneside |729 |2,723 |518
North Warwickshire |- |- |12
North West Leicestershire |- |- |46
North Wiltshire |- |110 |-
Northampton |- |100 |9
Northavon |- |245 |-
Northumberland |- |- |789
Norwich |- |631 |5
Nottinghamshire |65 |- |2,085
Nottingham |370 |6,111 |333
Nuneaton and Bedworth |- |500 |152
Oadby and Wigston |- |100 |-
Oldham |340 |3,050 |1,805
Peak National Park Joint Planning
Board |- |- |110
Pendle |- |- |82
Penwith |- |- |24
Peterborough |- |253 |-
Plymouth |960 |1,411 |54
Poole |- |503 |-
Portsmouth |- |220 |10
Preston |348 |2,716 |-
Reading |- |1,150 |1
Redbridge |- |2,738 |-
Redditch |- |605 |-
Reigate and Banstead |- |- |6
Restormel |- |- |63
Ribble Valley |- |116 |-
Richmond upon Thames |- |75 |-
Richmondshire |- |- |36
Rochdale |240 |3,826 |354
Rossendale |- |710 |378
Rotherham |685 |- |3,354
Rushcliffe |- |- |1
Rushmoor |- |574 |-
Salford |870 |6,002 |2,225
Sandwell |215 |9,285 |5,412
Scunthorpe |- |486 |-
Sedgefield |- |1,346 |148
Sefton |310 |2,798 |561
Sheffield |675 |6,625 |664
Shropshire |- |- |1,569
South Cambridgeshire |- |- |34
South Derbyshire |- |- |16
South Hams |- |245 |15
South Lakeland |- |- |29
South Ribble |- |174 |7
South Staffordshire |- |- |6
South Tyneside |500 |718 |139
Southampton |- |679 |-
Southwark |1,000 |17,223 |21
St. Edmundsbury |- |213 |17
St. Helens |- |5,415 |787
Stafford |- |444 |-
Staffordshire |- |- |616
Staffordshire Moorlands |- |- |10
Stevenage |- |496 |-
Stockport |- |3,260 |1,117
Stockton on Tees |119 |2,035 |532
Stoke on Trent |- |1,969 |1,021
Stroud |- |963 |-
Sunderland |1,000 |5,511 |520
Surrey |- |- |31
Sutton |- |565 |-
Tameside |- |- |1,075
Teesdale |- |- |6
Teignbridge |- |- |1
Thamesdown |- |100 |16
The Wrekin |- |- |383
Thurrock |- |1,000 |2
Torbay |- |- |25
Tower Hamlets |- |11,767 |236
Trafford |- |751 |-
Vale Royal |- |835 |2
Wakefield |- |2,144 |2,790
Walsall |- |1,549 |4,325
Waltham Forest |- |3,797 |16
Wandsworth |670 |- |-
Warrington |- |600 |20
Warwickshire |- |- |4
Watford |- |242 |-
Wealden |- |- |111
Wear Valley |- |1,701 |290
Westminster |- |179 |-
West Devon |- |- |8
West Sussex |- |- |54
Weymouth and Portland |- |131 |-
Wigan |420 |2,147 |3,058
Wirral |75 |4,681 |496
Wolverhampton |250 |2,293 |915
Worcester |- |1,050 |-
Wyre |- |763 |-
York |- |1,280 |30
Total |22,409 |357,437 |104,148
PRIME MINISTER
Lockerbie
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has now made of an unclassified document emanating from the air intelligence agency department of the United States air force, sent to him by the hon. Member for Linlithgow, asserting that Ali Akbar Mohrashemi paid cash and gold to terrorist organisations to carry out terrorist activities, and to destroy Pan Am flight 103 in retaliation for the United States shoot-down of the Iranian airbus.
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 26 January 1994, Official Report , columns 299-300 .
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library his correspondence with Mr. English of Chard, Somerset, in relation to Libya and Lockerbie.
The Prime Minister: It is not my normal practice to do so.
Deregulation
Mr. Steen: To ask the Prime Minister which Minister is responsible for deregulation in each Government Department.
The Prime Minister: The deregulation initiative is headed by the right hon. Michael Heseltine, President of the Board of Trade. Ministers are appointed in each of the regulatory Department's to be responsible for deregulation issues. They are:
Department |Minister
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Her Majesty's Treasury |Right Hon. Sir George Young MP
(Revenue and Customs) | Financial Secretary
Department of Transport |John Watts MP Minister of State
Scottish Office |Allan Stewart MP Parliamentary
| Under-Secretary of State
Welsh Office |Roderick Richards MP
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of
| State
Home Office |Michael Forsyth MP Minister of
| State
Ministry of Agriculture, |Earl Howe Parliamentary Secretary
Fisheries and Food
Department of Trade and |Jonathan Evans MP Parliamentary
Industry |Under-Secretary of State
Department of Health |Hon. Tom Sackville MP
|Parliamentary Under-Secretary of
| State
Department of Employment |Hon. Philip Oppenheim MP
|Parliamentary Under-Secretary of
| State
Department of Social |James Arbuthnot Parliamentary
Security | Under-Secretary of State
Department of Environment |Right Hon. Viscount Ullswater
| Minister of State
Northern Ireland Office |Baroness Denton of Wakefield
|Parliamentary Under-Secretary of
| State
Ministry of Defence |Righ Hon. Roger Freeman Minister of
| State
Department for Education |Eric Forth MP Minister of State
Office of Public Service and |Robert Hughes MP Parliamentary
Science | Secretary
Lord Chancellor's |John Taylor MP Parliamentary
Department | Secretary
Department of National |Iain Sproat MP Parliamentary
Heritage | Under-Secretary of State
Correspondence
Ms Gordon: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to reply to the letters of inquiry sent to him six months ago by Mr. R. Nimmo of 202 Morville street, London E3.
The Prime Minister: The Department of Employment replied on my behalf on 28 July 1994, a copy of which has recently been sent to Mr. Nimmo.
Common Currency
Sir Thomas Arnold: To ask the Prime Minister what is his current attitude towards the introduction of the hard ecu as a common currency within the EU.
The Prime Minister: Although the United Kingdom advocated the hard ecu during the Maastricht treaty negotiations, it was eventually agreed that the route set out in the treaty would avoid the problems of the control of the money supply that a parallel currency would inevitably involve. We therefore agreed to a three-stage process in which responsibility for our monetary policy will remain firmly in national hands unless and until Parliament agrees that we should seek to join a single currency.
World Summit for Social Development
Miss Lestor: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to attend the world summit for social development in Copenhagen in March; and if he will list those who will be representing Her Majesty's Government.
The Prime Minister: I will make a decision on attendance nearer the date.
EU Fraud
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to persuade the French Government to include the issue of the eradication of fraud in their objectives for their EU presidency.
The Prime Minister: At the Essen European Council, I made a number of proposals on the subject of fraud, waste and mismanagement which were agreed by the Council. I refer the hon. Member to my statement to the House on 12 December, Official Report, columns 613-30. The French presidency has made clear that it intends to pursue these measures vigorously. This was endorsed by the Council of Economic and Finance Ministers at its meeting on 16 January when the presidency work programme was discussed.
The reports from member states, commissioned at Essen, on the measures member states are implementing domestically to combat waste and the misuse of Community resources will be examined under the French presidency.
The French presidency fully shares our views on fraud, as the French Prime Minister made clear to me at our Chartres meeting last December.
Chequers (Entertainment)
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) dates of (b) nature of and (c) individuals present at each occasion at Chequers in the period from 2 December 1994 to 20 January 1995 which has involved
Column 477
the provision of food, drink and other forms of reception or entertainment paid for out of public funds.The Prime Minister [holding answer 26 January 1995]: There was one such occasion on 13 January 1995. This was a meeting of Ministers reviewing British foreign policy. It is not my normal practice to provide a list of individuals present on such occasions.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Wellcome-Glaxo Merger
Mr. Battle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to the long-term effect on research and development of the proposed takeover of Wellcome by Glaxo; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The relevant competition authorities will be considering the proposed merger in due course. Therefore, it is not appropriate for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to comment.
Absenteeism
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the absenteeism rate for (a) his Department, (b) the Accounts Services Agency, (c) Companies House, (d) the Insolvency Service, (e) the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, (f) the NEL, (g) the National Physical Laboratory, (h) the National Weights and Measures Agency, (i) the Patent Office and (j) the
Radiocommunications Agency in each year since 1991.
Mr. Heseltine: The average number of days sick leave per employee for the Department and its agencies is shown in the table.
|1991|1992|1993|1994
-------------------------------------------------------
Department excluding
Agencies listed below |8.1 |8.1 |10.3|9.5
Accounts Service Agency<1> |- |- |13.9|13.0
Companies House |10.9|13.4|17.4|16.8
Insolvency Service |7.8 |8.9 |11.4|10.8
Laboratory of the
Government Chemist |5.4 |7.0 |7.9 |6.6
NEL |6.0 |5.5 |6.6 |10.6
National Physical Laboratory |5.4 |7.3 |7.6 |6.4
National Weights and Measures
Agency |3.9 |4.1 |8.1 |13.3
Patent Office |7.0 |8.2 |12.0|11.5
Radiocommunications Agency |8.2 |9.1 |11.5|8.8
Total |7.9 |8.6 |11.0|10.3
<1> For 1991 and 1992 ASA figures are part of the
departmental figures.
Northern Electricity
Mr. Wilson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade by how much domestic electricity prices for Northern Electric customers have changed since 1991 in relation to the UK average.
Mr. Charles Wardle: Using the normal assumption that the average domestic household buys 3,300 kWh of electricity per year, Northern Electric's standard tariff rose by 1.9 per cent. between 1991 and 1994. If allowance
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is made for inflation, as measured by the gross domestic product (market prices) deflator, this represents a fall of 7.4 per cent. in real terms. For customers on Northern Electric's Economy 7 tariff, the price of electricity rose by 2.4 per cent. in current price terms and fell by 7 per cent. in real terms (assuming consumption of 6,600 kWh per year--3,000 day units and 3,600 night units). VAT has been excluded from the above figures. This tax (8 per cent.) was imposed from 1 April 1994, but an unspecified number of consumers paid in advance and will not have paid any VAT during 1994.For all regional electricity companies in England and Wales, the corresponding average change over this three-year period for standard tariff customers was 0.9 per cent., (9.9 per cent. in real terms), and for Economy 7 tariff customers it was +0.9 per cent., ( 8.4 per cent. in real terms).
Mr. Wilson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of the takeover of Northern Electric by Trafalgar House on the sale of the National Grid Company.
Mr. Jonathan Evans: My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is awaiting the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading on the proposed takeover by Trafalgar House of Northern Electric.
Company Accounts
Dr. Wright: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many companies have had penalties imposed upon them by Companies House for the late submission of accounts in each of the past five years; and what has been the total amount of such penalties in each of these years.
Mr. Jonathan Evans: Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to Companies House under its chief executive, Mr. Durham. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from David Durham to Dr. Tony Wright, dated 30 January 1995 :
Jonathan Evans, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs, has asked me as Registrar and Chief Executive of Companies House Executive Agency, to reply to the following Parliamentary Question which you tabled:
How many companies have had penalties imposed upon them by Companies House for the late submission of accounts in each of the past five years; and what has been the total amount of such penalties in each of these years.
The late filing penalty system was introduced on 1 July 1992. Details of the number of penalties levied and the sums involved are set out in the table below.
Late filing penalties raised: Great Britain
Financial years 1992-3; 1993-4; 1994-5
|Number |Value
|(£ million)
-------------------------------------------------------------
1992-93 (July-March) |79,928 |12.5
1993-94 (April-March) |84,384 |20.8
1994-95 (April-December) |55,053 |13.8
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Steen: To ask the Lord President of the Council how many statutory instruments requiring affirmative resolution he expects will be brought before the House in the current Session; and how many of these he expects to be considered by (a) Standing Committees or (b) on the Floor of the House.
Mr. Newton: The information is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
European Union
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Lord President of the Council what communication he has received from the President of the European Parliament concerning its resolution of 10 February adopting the proposal for a constitution for the European Union, as proposed by its Committee on Institutional Affairs; and what action he has taken consequent on any requests therein.
Mr. Newton: The European Parliament did not adopt the draft constitution prepared by the Committee on Institutional Affairs, but only took note of it. I have received no communication from the President of the European Parliament concerning the resolution of 10 February 1994.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Register of Available Personnel
Miss Lestor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many prospective candidates seeking employment in the United Kingdom's overseas aid programme had their details held on the Overseas Development Administrations's register of available personnel for each year since 1979; how many of them were appointed; and how many of them were removed from the register after two years.
Mr. Baldry: The historical information about the register of available personnel, which has only existed since 1987, is not available. Information about recent years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Consultants
Miss Lestor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which are the four main consultancies and recruitment agencies supplying personnel to the United Kingdom's overseas aid programme since 1979.
Mr. Baldry: Individuals employed under the aid programme are normally recruited directly by the Overseas Development Administration. No records are kept which distinguish between contracts with consultancy firms relating solely to the supply of expertise to the aid programme and those which also cover the supply of other services.
Aid, Africa
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decisions have
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been made in the past six months by the European Commission about the provision and destination of aid within Africa.Mr. Baldry: Tables providing details of EC projects approved between July and December 1994 which benefit sub-Saharan Africa under (i) the European development fund, (ii) European Community food and humanitarian aid and (iii) the special programme for South Africa, have been placed in the Library of the House.
In October 1994, a framework agreement creating the first bilateral treaty relationship between the EC and South Africa was signed. In November 1994, the Development Council agreed a programme of 67 mecu--about £53 million--to rehabilitate social and production structures in Rwanda.
Arun Project, Nepal
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what topics were discussed at the recent informal briefing with members of the inspection panel of the World bank; and what conclusions were drawn by the United Kingdom executive director;
(2) if he will instruct the United Kingdom executive director of the World bank to support the preliminary recommendations of the inspection panel of the World bank on the Arun III project.
Mr. Baldry: There has been a preliminary exchange of views on the inspection panel's report on a request for an inspection of the Arun III hydroelectric project in Nepal. Executive directors decided to defer further action pending receipt of the views of the newly elected Government of Nepal, and also pending a review by the panel of its report in the light of additional information to be supplied by bank management.
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department has about the current position of the Government of Nepal on approval of the Arun III project.
Mr. Baldry: We understand the newly elected Government have expressed broad support for the project, but wish to take stock before reaching a firm view on whether to proceed.
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the board of the World bank will consider the full appraisal report of theArun III project.
Mr. Baldry: No date has been set.
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what organisations he will consult before deciding the British Government's policy in the World bank on the Arun III project;
(2) what organisations will be consulted by the board of the World bank before it reaches a final decision on the Arun III project; (3) what organisations he will consult before deciding the British Government's policy on implementing the recommendations of the inspection panel of the World bank on the Arun III project;
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