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Defence Equipment
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of each type of (a) ships, (b) ammunition, (c) artillery, (d) missiles, (e) helicopters, (f) torpedoes and (g) aircraft surplus to his Department's requirement have been or are to be sold in the 1994 95 financial year. [15803]
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 27 March 1995]: Quantities of surplus United Kingdom defence equipment
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sold or expected to be sold in the financial year 1994 95 are as follows:
|Amount
------------------------------------------
Ships
Type 22 frigates |4
Leander class frigates |3
River class minesweepers |7
Oberon submarines |1
Fleet tenders |11
Motor fishing vessels |3
Fleet tankers |1
Landing craft |3
Mooring and salvage vessels |1
Target vessels |3
Floating cranes |1
Armament lighters |3
Sullage lighters |2
Diving vessels |1
Barges |2
|46
Ammunition
Rounds naval |24,000
Artillery |55,000
Small arms |5,000
|84,000
Artillery
M109s |32
Missiles
Skyflash |40
Helicopters
Lynx HAS3 |3
Aircraft
Andovers |4
Beagles |1
Beavers |1
Buccanners |10
Canberras |6
Chipmunks |12
Devons |2
Gnats |2
HS125s |5
Hunters |19
Jaguars |1
Javelins |1
Jet Provosts |56
Jet Provost ground runners |3
Lightenings |1
Spitfires |1
Varsities |1
Victors |1
|127
Overseas Contracts
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report , column 218 , if he will name the representatives of the Government of Indonesia and the representatives of Her Majesty's Government who signed memoranda of understanding on behalf of their respective Governments in September 1983, March 1984, April 1986 and November 1991; and in each case what positions they occupied as officials or Ministers within those governments. [17053]
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Mr. Freeman [holding answer 30 March 1995]: Details of exchanges between Governments are confidential; and it has been the general policy of successive Governments not to reveal details concerning such arrangements without the prior approval of the other Government.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 2 February, Official Report , column 609 , if he will list the exact date of, and the signatories to, each memorandum of understanding signed with the Government of Nigeria since 4 May 1979.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 22 March 1995]: The answer given in March Official Report , column 609 , referred to defence exports-related MOUs. No central record of MOUs is kept by my Department and a comprehensive list could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. MOUs not related to defence exports were signed with the Government of Nigeria on 24 November 1980 and 14 July 1992. It has been the general policy of successive Governments not to reveal details without the prior approval of the other Government.
TREASURY
Financial Services
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he is doing to improve the performance of the British financial services industry in terms of long-term investment in Britain. [16443]
Mr. Nelson: Last year, the Treasury conducted an inquiry into provision of finance for industry entitled "The Industrial Finance Initiative". A summary of our conclusions was submitted to the Trade and Industry Select Committee, and I gave evidence to the Committee on 8 February. I refer the hon. Member to that submission--a copy of which is available in the Library--and in particular to the catalogue of measures since implemented to improve the terms and availability of finance for industry.
Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the costs for the last two years and what are the estimated costs for the current year and the next two years of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood. [18050]
Mr. Nelson: The figures requested are set out in the table:
£000
|1994-95
1992-93 |1993-94 |(Forecast |1995-96 |1996-97
(Outturn) |(Outturn) |outturn) |(Estimate)|(Estimate)
------------------------------------------------------------------
605 |477 |564 |669 |677
Insignia re-stocking occurs irregularly, according to need.
Parliamentary Questions
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many parliamentary questions to his Department in each year since 1979 80 requesting a
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priority written answer or answer on a named day were answered within three days; how many received a holding reply; and how many of those which received a holding reply then received a substantive answer within a further five, 10, 15, 20 days or longer; [18488] (2) how many parliamentary questions requesting an ordinary written answer were received by his Department in each year since 1979 80; and how many such questions received a substantive answer within 10, 15, 20 days or longer. [18487]Mr. Nelson: The table gives the numbers of ordinary written and named day, or priority as appropriate, written questions tabled to Treasury Ministers since 1988 89, and the number of holding answers given to named day and priority questions for each of these Sessions.
Information relating to earlier years and the analysis sought of substantive replies are not readily retrievable and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
Parliamentary Questions tabled to the Treasury
|Named
|Ordinary |day/priority|Holding
Session |written |written |answers
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1988-89 |1,007 |924 |530
1989-90 |1,162 |827 |413
1990-91 |851 |796 |298
1991-92 |481 |485 |180
1992-93 |1,811 |1,373 |473
1993-94 |1,316 |731 |245
1994-95<1> |733 |470 |271
<1>To 5 April.
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many parliamentary questions to his Department that were transferred for answer to the chief executive or other senior official of a non-departmental public body or agency for which he has responsibility received an answer which was not printed in the Official Report in each year since 1979 80 or for each year that the body or agency has been in existence; [18942]
(2) how many parliamentary questions to his Department were transferred for answer to the chief executive or other senior official of a non- departmental public body or agency for which he has responsibility in each year since 1979 80 or for each year that the body or agency has been in existence. [18491]
Mr. Nelson: Since October 1992, when arrangements were introduced for printing in the Official Report letters sent to hon. Members by agency chief executives in response to parliamentary questions, chief executives responsible to Treasury Ministers have replied directly to four questions:
1992 93: 3
1993 94: --
1994 95: 1
In each case, the answers were printed in the Official Report .
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many times in each year since 1979 80 his Department has written to a right hon. or hon. Member correcting an answer to a parliamentary question; [18490]
(2) how many times in each year since 1979 80 his Department has given a reply to a parliamentary question which has resulted in the information requested being
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placed in the Library and not printed in the Official Report. [18489]Mr. Nelson: The information requested is a matter of public record, but it could be extracted in the form requested only at disproportionate cost.
Income Tax
Mr. Forman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost to the Exchequer in 1995 96 of extending the 20p band to the point at which it would become the highest marginal rate of tax (a) for half of all income tax payers and (b) for three quarters of all income tax payers. [16820]
Sir George Young: The full year cost at 1995 96 income levels would be about £4.3 billion for half of income taxpayers and about £7.5 billion for three quarters. These estimates do not allow for any behavioural changes which might result from the introduction of the new regime.
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of income tax revenue was paid by those with the top 10 per cent. of incomes in each year from 1978 79 to 1995 96. [18974]
Sir George Young: The information requested is given in the table.
Shares of total tax liability
paid by top 10 per cent.<1>
|Percentage
---------------------------------
1978-79 |35
1979-80 |34
1980-81 |35
1981-82 |35
1982-83 |36
1983-84 |36
1984-85 |38
1985-86 |38
1986-87 |39
1987-88 |41
1988-89 |42
1989-90 |42
1990-91 |42
1991-92 |43
1992-93 |44
1993-94<2> |44
1994-95<2> |44
1995-96<2> |44
<1> For years up to and
including 1989-90 married
couples are counted as one
taxpayer and their incomes are
combined. Following the
introduction of independent
taxation in 1990-91 husbands and
wives are counted separately.
<2> Provisional.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the information provided to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Betts) on 5 May 1994, Official Report , columns 588 92 for (a) 1994 95, (b) 1995 96, (c) 1996 97 and (d) 1997 98; and if he will revise the figures for 1992 93 and 1993 94. [17429]
Sir George Young [holding answer 31 March 1995]: Available information on income tax payers is given in the table. The increases in taxpayer numbers is largely due to economic growth. In addition, the number of people in work is increasing--United Kingdom work force in employment up 174,000 between December 1993 and December 1994.
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Taxpayers by marginal rate: Numbers in thousands
Marginal rate |1992-93 |<1>1993-94 |<1>1994-95 |<1>1995-96
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 |4,240 |5,200 |5,000 |5,400
25 |19,430 |18,400 |18,400 |18,400
40 |1,720 |1,900 |2,300 |2,400
Total |25,390 |25,500 |25,700 |26,200
<1>Provisional estimates projected from the 1992-93 survey of personal incomes.
Taxpayers by marginal rate: Percentages
Marginal rate |1992-93 |<1>1993-94 |<1>1994-95 |<1>1995-96
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 |17 |20 |19 |21
25 |76 |72 |72 |70
40 |7 |8 |9 |9
Total |100 |100 |100 |100
<1>Provisional estimates projected from the 1992-93 survey of personal incomes.
Deregulation
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will be publishing consultation documents on industrial and provident society, credit union and friendly society measures contained in the illustrative list attached to the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994. [19126]
Mr. Nelson: I am pleased to announce that consultation documents proposing amendments to regulations governing the constitutions and activities of these institutions were published today. Copies are being placed in the Library. The effect of the changes will be to ease the administrative burden on societies and unions without removing any necessary protection for their members. Subject to the response, the Government hope to implement the proposals later this year through an order under section 1 of the Act.
Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of whether Her Majesty's Government are required, under the provisions of the Maastricht treaty, to seek to aim at any specified levels of inflation or of the public sector borrowing requirement; and if he will make a statement. [18152]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory [holding answer 4 April 1995]: Article 103 of the treaty on European Union requires all member states to regard their economic policy as a matter of common concern, but the broad guidelines on economic policy adopted by the Council of Economic and Finance Ministers under article 103(2) are only recommendations. The same applies to the outcome of the excessive deficits procedure set out in article 104c.
The latest broad guidelines on economic policy, adopted by ECOFIN on 11 July 1994, recognised the need to achieve low inflation on a permanent basis and sound public finances. Such aims are consistent with Government's existing economic policy, as were the recommendations under the excessive deficit procedure, adopted on 7 November 1994.
Column 1160
Mortgage Interest Relief
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of individuals whose after-tax income will be reduced by the forthcoming restriction of tax relief on mortgage interest at source from 20 to 15 per cent. [17180]
Sir George Young [holding answer 30 March 1995]: About 10.1 million single people or married couples will benefit from mortgage interest relief in 1995 96, all of whom will be affected by the change in the rate of relief.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual value of mortgage interest relief at source to (a) the average standard rate taxpayer and (b) the average higher rate taxpayer, with (i) a £30,000 mortgage, (ii) in a £60,000 mortgage and (iii) a £100,000 mortgage (1) in 1979 80, (2) in 1993 94, (3) as projected for 1994 95 and (4) as estimated for 1995 96 expressed in 1994 prices. [16812]
Sir George Young [holding answer 29 March 1995]: Information is given in the following table.
Much of the reduction in the value of the relief is due to lower interest rates.
Annual value of mortgage interest relief (£)
|<4>1995-96
|(in 1994-95
|<1>1979-80 |<2>1993-94 |<3>1994-95 |prices)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basic rate taxpayer with:
£30,00 mortgage |970 |590 |470 |350
£60,000 mortgage |970 |590 |470 |350
£100,000 mortgage |970 |590 |470 |350
Higher rate taxpayer with:
£30,000 mortgage |1,450 |590 |470 |350
£60,000 mortgage |1,450 |590 |470 |350
£100,000 mortgage |1,450 |590 |470 |350
<1> Average higher rate taxpayer assumed to obtain relief at 45 per cent. Average
building society interest rate was 12.9 per cent.
<2> Average building society interest rate was 7.9 per cent.
<3> Interest rate of 7.8 per cent. used. This is based on the average building society
interest rates from April 1994 to January 1995, and then assuming, by convention, no
changes from the current interest rate of 8.1 per cent. Relief at 20 per cent.
Assumes, by convention, no changes from current interest rate of 8.1 per cent. Relief
at 15 per cent.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Aid
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to review the regulations under the Legal Aid Act 1988 which require that where a person granted legal aid succeeds in recovering a preserved property the legal aid is repayable, with particular concern for those on income support. [17212]
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he
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has to review the interest charged on legal aid assistance. [17213]Mr. John M. Taylor: When a legally aided person recovers or preserves money or property as a result of the proceedings for which he or she is legally aided, the Legal Aid Board recovers the legal aid costs from that money or property. This is known as the statutory charge. In certain circumstances, enforcement of the charge is postponed. In those cases, simple interest is charged for the length of the postponement at a rate which is currently 8 per cent. per annum. This rate is reviewed from time to time when it seems appropriate to do so in the light of movements in interest rates generally. There are no current plans to change the rates.
Mr. Marlow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much money has been paid in legal aid for persons whose cases are being considered by (a) the European Court of Justice and (b) the European Court of Human Rights; and if he will list the number of (1) cases and (2) people involved.
Mr. John M. Taylor: I have reflected carefully on this inquiry to which my hon. Friend returns, but regret that I must refer him to the answer I gave him on 28 March, Official Report, column 525.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what action he now plans to take in respect of the provision of legal aid to the nation's richest citizens. [17845]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The Lord Chancellor is now considering the responses he received to the consultation paper, "Legal Aid for the Apparently Wealthy." He will announce shortly the proposals which he intends to take forward.
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the cost of civil legal aid for divorce cases for each of the last five years and the estimated cost for the current financial year; and what is the projected cost for the next financial year. [17098]
Mr. John M. Taylor: It is not possible to provide the net cost of divorce cases alone. Net expenditure in respect of all civil matrimonial legal aid for each of the five years is as follows: 1989 90: £87.5 million
1990 91: £108.6 million
1991 92: £150.5 million
1992 93: £207.2 million
1993 94: £266.7 million
The net cost of all civil legal aid in 1994 95 is estimated to be £611.1 million and is projected to be £677.8 million in 1995 96.
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to restrict the availability of legal aid for divorcing couples and their children; what mechanisms he intends to introduce to allow those adults and children requiring professional legal assistance, rather than the assistance of mediators, for the protection of their interests to get that assistance; and who will be taking decisions about whether people get the assistance of a mediator or lawyer in publicly funded matrimonial cases. [17104]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The Lord Chancellor will be issuing his Green Paper on legal aid later in the spring. Proposals relating to legal aid in family cases will be covered in that document.
Column 1162
Mr. Shersby: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the cost to public funds of legal aid granted to persons who were not British citizens or resident in the United Kingdom during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.
Mr. John M. Taylor: Information as to an applicant's nationality is not collected and is therefore not available. The Legal Aid Board does maintain a record of applications received from applicants resident outside the United Kingdom, but information on the cost to legal aid of those cases could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Privity of Contract
Sir Timothy Sainsbury: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he proposes to introduce legislation relating to the law of privity of contract; and if he will make a statement. [17240]
Mr. John M. Taylor: It remains the intention of the Government to proceed with legislation in this area as soon as there is a suitable legislative opportunity.
Age Limits (Courts)
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the (a) legal lower age limit and (b) customary lower age limit on visitors to criminal or civil courts. [17230]
Mr. John M. Taylor: There is no legal age limit for any visitor to a criminal or civil court. People of all ages visit these courts.
Internet
Mr. Allen: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the Internet electronic mail addresses of (a) his Department and (b) each Minister in his Department; and if he will make a statement on his Department's approach to the information super highway. [17728]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Neither my Department, the Lord Chancellor nor I have an Internet electronic mail address. My Department has no current plans to use the Internet but will keep under review the facilities available and their potential use.
Advertising
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list, for 1992 93 and 1993 94, separate figures for the spending by his Department on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising, (d) other promotions materials and activities, (e) the totals in each year of (a) to (d) and (f) the proportion of (e) that was spent on recruitment advertising, and what are his latest estimates for the years 1994 95 and 1995 96. [17629]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Expenditure on all forms of advertising and publicity, and separate figures for recruitment advertising, are given in the table. The recruitment advertising figures are only for recruitment carried out centrally. Recruitment is also carried out locally but costs are not separately identifiable. It is not possible to identify separate figures for the different types
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of advertising. The figures include costs for the Court Service, which became an agency on 3 April 1995.
|Total |Recruitment as
|advertising and|Recruitment |percentage of
Year |publicity<1> |advertising |total
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1992-93 |51,901 |36,209 |70
1993-94 |126,195 |47,744 |38
1994-95 (provisional) |152,412 |45,341 |30
1995-96 (plan) |191,650 |52,650 |27
<1> Including recruitment.
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list each non-departmental public body and agency for which he has responsibility and, for each, list separate figures for the spending by that body or agency on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising, (d) other promotional materials and activities, (e) the totals in each year of (a) to (d) , and (f) the proportion of (e) that was spent on recruitment advertising, for each year since 1979 80 or for each year of its existence if it has been created since then; and what are his latest estimates of (a) to (f) for the years 1994 95 and 1995 96. [17630]
Mr. John M. Taylor: A list of the non-departmental public bodies and agencies is set out below. In relation to the non-departmental public bodies for which the Lord Chancellor has responsibility, the following information is available:
Legal Aid Board (created in 1989
Publicity budget for publicising the legal aid scheme: 1989 90: £103,000
1990 91: £150,000
1991 92: £132,000
1992 93: £234,000
1993 94: £140,000
1994 95: £185,000
The planned expenditure for 1995 96 is £243,750. No figure has yet been planned for 1996 97. Publicity in this area is carried out, almost exclusively, by way of leaflets and posters for the general public.
Information on recruitment advertisements is available only from 1992 93:
1992 93: £215.731
1993 94: £135,259
1994 95: £252,359 (estimate)
Law Commission Apart from 1992-93, expenditure
was all on recruitment
|Newspapers |Other (D) |Total
|£ |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------
1986-87 |<1>1,500 |NIL |1,500
1987-88 |<1>1,700 |NIL |1,700
1988-89 |<1>2,100 |NIL |2,100
1989-90 |<1>2,400 |<1>500 |2,900
1990-91 |<1>3,000 |<1>1,000 |4,000
1991-92 |<1>3,500 |<1>1,250 |4,750
1992-93 |3,783.50 |<2>5,408.25|<2>9,191.75
1993-94 |3,838.73 |2,067.33 |5,906.06
1994-95 |4,816.18 |2,145.87 |6,962,05
1995-96<3> |4,500 |2,000 |6,500
<1> Best estimate: figures prior to 1986-87 are not
available and until 1992 were not distinguished from
miscellaneous expenditure.
<2> Includes a Law Commission brochure.
<3> Estimate.
Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct (created in 1991)
The only expenditure has been on newspaper advertising for the recruitment of staff. The figures are:
1991 92: £4,917.19
1992 93: £7,013.36
1993 94: £11,195.98
1994 95: £11,200 (estimate)
The other NDPBs either do not incur such expenditure or the cost is included in departmental figures.
The Lord Chancellor is responsible for four agencies: the Court Service, Her Majesty's Land Registry, the Public Record Office and the Public Trust Office. The Court Service, which came into operation as an agency on 3 April 1995, is covered in the answer to the question about this Department. As the question concerns specific operational matters on which the chief executives of the other three agencies are best placed to provide answers, I have accordingly asked the chief executives to reply direct.
Non-Departmental Public Bodies
-- Executive Bodies
Legal Aid Board
Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board (now inactive) Advisory Bodies
Insolvency Rules Committee
County Court Rule Committee
Supreme Court Rule Committee
Land Registration Rule Committee
Family Proceedings Rule Committee
Crown Court Rule Committee
Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax Advisory Committee on JPs in England (excluding the Duchy of Lancaster) and Wales
Judicial Studies Board
Advisory Council on Public Records
Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct
Council on Tribunals
Law Commission
Northern Ireland Court Service--
Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax (NI) Advisory Committees on JPs in Northern Ireland
Advisory Committees on Juvenile Court Lay Panel
Legal Aid Advisory Committee (NI)
Tribunals
Immigration Appeal Tribunal and Adjudicators
Lands Tribunal
Pensions Appeal Tribunal
Valued Added Tax Tribunal
Transport Tribunal
General Commissioners of Income Tax
Agencies
Court Service
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