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Aid Donors (Kenya)
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the next meeting will take place of Kenya's major aid donors, including Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement. [23609]
Mr. Baldry: The World bank has invited the Government of Kenya, Her Majesty's Government and other donors to a meeting to discuss Kenya in Paris on 24 July. We welcome this and will attend.
Goldenberg Affair
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Kenya about the Goldenberg affair; and to what extent the treatment of that issue by the Kenyan Government has strengthened its eligibility for aid under the good governance criteria. [23610]
Mr. Baldry: We have expressed our concerns about the Goldenberg affair to the highest levels of the Kenyan Government. We welcome their recent public commitment to expedite police investigations. Action by the Government of Kenya on corruption is an important factor in determining the level of British aid to Kenya.
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Aid (Kenya)
Sir Thomas Arnold: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about British bilateral and multilateral aid to Kenya. [23356]
Mr. Baldry: British bilateral aid to Kenya amounted to £31.3 million in 1993 94, We also make substantial contributions to several multilateral organisations which provide aid to Kenya.
TREASURY
Rules and Regulations
Mr. Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what requirements there are for officials in his Department to introduce a compliance cost assessment for all rules and regulations coming before him and his Ministers; and how many compliance cost assessments have been issued in his Department in the first three months of this year. [19356]
Sir George Young [holding answer 18 April 1995]: The Chancellor's departments issued 10 compliance cost assessments in the first three months of 1995. Officials will introduce a compliance cost assessment in all the circumstances set out by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade in his answer of 19 April at column 190 .
Mr. Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many rules and regulations he repealed in the first three months of 1995; and how many new rules and regulations were introduced in that period by way of statutory instruments, motions or orders. [19372]
Sir George Young [holding answer 18 April 1995]: Thirteen rules and regulations were repealed in the first three months of 1995. In the same period, 31 rules and regulations were introduced, not including commencement orders, Orders in Council and instruments not subject to parliamentary procedure. However, most of the new regulations were deregulatory in nature: for example, two orders widened the range of activities exempt from the Financial Services Act 1986. Only one introduced new requirements with any costs for business, and even these costs are small.
Of the 31 regulations:
--10 replaced existing regulations;
--15 amended existing regulations;
--6 were new regulations.
Mortgage Interest Tax Relief
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost of mortgage interest tax relief for the financial year 1995 96. [22275]
Sir George Young [holding answer 2 May 1995]: In 1995 96, the estimated total cost of mortgage interest relief is about £2.8 billion.
This figure is based on the assumption, by convention, of no change from the current estimated average building society interest rate of 8.1 per cent. The rate of relief is 15 per cent.
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Married Couple's Allowance
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost of the married couple's allowance tax relief for the financial year 1995 96. [22274]
Sir George Young [holding answer 2 May 1995]: The estimated full-year cost in 1995 96 is £3.1 billion. This includes the cost of allowances related to the married couple's allowance--the additional personal allowance and the widow's bereavement allowance.
European Monetary Institute
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the work being undertaken by the EMI; and what part the United Kingdom plays in determining its policy. [22549]
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 4 May 1995]: The objectives and the tasks of the European monetary institute are set out in articles 109f and 109j, paragraph 1, of the treaty establishing the European Community and the protocol on the statute of the European monetary institute annexed to the treaty. The EMI annual report 1994, published in April 1995, which reports on the activities of the EMI up to 31 December 1994, is available from the House of Commons Library.
The Governor of the Bank of England is a member of the EMI council. Like the central banks of all the other member states, the Bank of England is participating in the EMI's work.
Uniforms
Mr. Dicks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees who have to wear a uniform at their place of work as part of their contract of employment are currently paying tax because their uniform is counted as a benefit in kind. [23315]
Sir George Young [holding answer 9 May 1995]: None, if the clothing is agreed to be a uniform that must be worn as part of the duties of the employment.
Mr. Dicks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Inland Revenue has to tax, as receiving a benefit in kind, those employees who have to wear uniforms at their place of work as part of their contract of employment; and if he will make a statement.
Sir George Young [holding answer 9 May 1995]: None. Although a tax charge can arise where employees are provided with clothing, the Inland Revenue accepts that no tax is due if the clothing is a uniform and the wearing of that uniform is a necessary part of the duties of the employment.
Telephones
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations his Department has made to the Department of Trade and Industry concerning the need for legislation to prevent the cloning of mobile telephones. [23466]
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 9 May 1995]: The Treasury has made no representations to the Department of Trade and Industry.
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Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what costs his Department incurred during the last 12 months as a result of cloning of mobile telephones being utilised by his Department, with particular reference to the making of unauthorised calls; [23490] (2) how many mobile telephones being utilised by his Department have been cloned during the last 12 months. [23426]
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Two of the Treasury's mobile telephones have been cloned during the past 12 months. No costs were incurred in consequence, all unauthorised calls having been removed from the bill by the mobile telephone's airtime supplier.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what use his Department makes of hand-held and car-based mobile telephones; what were the costs for each financial year of these services since mobile telephones were first introduced to his Department; and how many mobile telephones are currently in use. [23450]
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Mobile telephones are used by Treasury Ministers, senior officials and other staff whose duties regularly take them out of their offices but who still need to be contactable. Information relating to rental and call costs is available only for 1993 94 and 1994 95 and amounted to £13,100 and £14,400 respectively, excluding VAT. There are 32 mobile telephones currently in use in the Treasury.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department has taken to prevent the cloning of telephones being utilised by his Department; and if his Department has discussed this matter with any official agencies. [23457]
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 9 May 1995]: The Treasury is moving away from the use of analogue to the use of digital mobile telephones due to the greater protection against eavesdropping offered by the latter. Digital mobile telephones are thought to be immune to cloning; the matter has not been discussed with any official agency.
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what dates the Chief Secretary to the Treasury submitted written evidence to the Scott inquiry; and what areas were covered in his evidence. [24156]
Mr. Aitken: I wrote to the hon. Member on 9 May.
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Smoking
Mr. Peter Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what facilities are provided and arrangements made for the well-being and comfort of staff who (a) smoke and (b) do not wish to be affected by smoking at (i) the work station and (ii) rest, recreation and refreshment facilities at the Treasury, Parliament street, London. [24176]
Mr. Nelson: The policy on smoking in the Parliament street building has recently been revised to provide a better balance between smokers and non-smokers. Smoking is prohibited in all common areas, including the staff restaurant and recreation rooms. Smoking at work stations is allowed only with the consent of all the occupants of the room. Designated smoking rooms have been set aside for the use of smokers including an area within the coffee lounge in the staff restaurant. The smoking rooms include smoke extraction and air filtering designed to protect non-smokers working in close proximity.
International Derivative Trading
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the supervision exercised by the Bank of England and its agencies over international trading in derivatives. [21140]
Mr. Nelson: The Bank of England has made clear, on a number of occasions, the risks involved in derivatives and in trading activities more generally. Banks are expected to hold sufficient capital against these risks and to maintain appropriate systems and controls. The supervision of banks is conducted by the Bank of England, where appropriate in collaboration with other regulators in the UK or overseas.
Tobacco Duty
Mr. Barron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of sterling equivalent and/or percentage rate levied on (a) hand- rolling tobacco, (b) cigars, (c) other smoking or chewing tobacco in (i) excise duty and (ii) VAT or other sales tax in each country in (1) the European Union and (2) the Group of 7. [22966]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: The information for European Union member states is given in the table. The information requested is not readily available for the G7 countries in the form required.
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Hand-rolling (b) Cigars (c) Other smoking
tobacco tobacco
|(i) Excise Duty |(ii) VAT |(i) Excise Duty |(ii) VAT |(i) Excise Duty |(ii) VAT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Austria |47 per cent. of RRP |20.00 per cent. |13 per cent. of RRP |20.00 per cent. |34 per cent. of RRP |20.00 per cent.
Belgium |37.55 per cent. of RRP |20.50 per cent. |10 per cent. of RRP |20.50 per cent. |37.55 per cent. of RRP |20.50 per cent.
Denmark |£31.78 per kg |25.00 per cent. |£22.88 per 1000 + 10 per cent. of RRP|25.00 per cent. |£40.44 per kg |25.00 per cent.
Finland |48 per cent. of RRP |22.00 per cent. |20 per cent. of RRP |22.00 per cent. |48 per cent. of RRP |22.00 per cent.
France |56.38 per cent. of RRP |19.50 per cent. |29.26 per cent. of RRP |19.50 per cent. |47.14 per cent. of RRP |19.50 per cent.
Germany |£13.80 + 18.12 per cent. |15.00 per cent. |5 per cent. of RRP |15.00 per cent. |£2.51 per kg + 22 per cent. of RRP |15.00 per cent.
Greece |57.50 per cent. of RRP |18.00 per cent. |26 per cent. of RRP |18.00 per cent. |57.5 per cent. of RRP |18.00 per cent.
Ireland |£70.82 |21.00 per cent. |£83.93 per kg |21.00 per cent. |£58.22 per kg |21.00 per cent.
Italy |54.28 per cent. of RRP |19.00 per cent. |23 per cent. of RRP |19.00 per cent. |54 per cent. of RRP |19.00 per cent.
Luxembourg |31.50 per cent. of RRP |12.00 per cent. |10 per cent. of RRP |12.00 per cent. |£14.54 per kg + 31.5 per cent. of RRP|12.00 per cent.
Netherlands |£14.34 + 16.53 per cent. of RRP |17.50 per cent. |5 per cent. of RRP |17.50 per cent. |16.1 per cent. of RRP |17.50 per cent.
Portugal |30 per cent. of RRP |16.00 per cent. |26.21 per cent. of RRP |16.00 per cent. |30 per cent. of RRP |16.00 per cent.
Spain |30 per cent. of RRP |17.00 per cent. |10 per cent. of RRP |17.00 per cent. |20 per cent. of RRP |17.00 per cent.
Sweden |£32.56 |25.00 per cent. |£29.68 per 1000 |25.00 per cent. |£6.36 per kg |25.00 per cent.
UK |£85.94 per cent. |17.50 per cent. |£85.61 per kg |17.50 per cent. |£37.64 per kg |17.50 per cent.
RRP-Recommended Retail Price.
Mr. Barron: To ask the Chancellor of the Echequer what is the current proportion of the purchase price paid in taxation for an average (a) packet of 20 cigarettes, (b) 250g of hand-rolling tobacco, (c) packet of five cigars and (d) 250g of pipe tobacco; and what it has been in each year since 1965. [22964]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: Information based on actual purchase prices for average cigarettes or other tobacco products is not readily available. Information in the form requested is given in the table based on manufacturers' recommended retail prices during the period 1965 95 for the current leading brands of tobacco products. I regret that the figures for hand-rolling tobacco, cigars and pipe tobacco between 1965 and 1976 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Total tax (Excise and VAT) as a percentage of retail price
|Cigarettes|HRT |Cigars |Pipe
------------------------------------------------------------------
1965 |77 |- |- |-
1966 |77 |- |- |-
1967 |69 |- |- |-
1968 |70 |- |- |-
1969 |71 |- |- |-
1970 |71 |- |- |-
1971 |67 |- |- |-
1972 |66 |- |- |-
1973 |64 |- |- |-
1974 |70 |- |- |-
1975 |69 |- |- |-
1976 |70 |- |- |-
1977 |77 |27 |18 |21
1978 |70 |72 |44 |68
1979 |70 |70 |43 |66
1980 |71 |69 |44 |65
1981 |74 |69 |46 |65
1982 |75 |72 |51 |68
1983 |74 |71 |51 |67
1984 |75 |70 |50 |65
1985 |75 |71 |52 |63
1986 |75 |71 |50 |61
1987 |74 |72 |49 |59
1988 |75 |71 |49 |58
1989 |74 |71 |45 |57
1990 |74 |69 |44 |55
1991 |76 |69 |44 |53
1992 |76 |71 |47 |55
1993 |76 |71 |48 |54
1994 |76 |69 |47 |53
1995 |77 |73 |51 |57
Using price at 1 January.
Tax (Retail Prices)
Mr. Barron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current total tax as a proportion of retail price on (a) cigarettes, (b) beer, (c) whisky, (d) wine, (e) leaded petrol and (f) DERV; and what it has been in each year since 1965. [22968]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: The information requested is given in the table. I regret that the figures for wine, leaded petrol and DERV between 1965 and 1978 could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Total tax (Excise and VAT) as a percentage of retail price
|Cigarettes per 20 |Beer (per pint) |Spirits (per 70cl |Wine (per 75cl |Leaded petrol (per|DERV (per litre)
|bottle) |bottle) |litre)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1965 |77 |42.1 |72.4 |- |- |-
1966 |77 |44.3 |72.7 |- |- |-
1967 |69 |44.3 |77.2 |- |- |-
1968 |70 |47.0 |80.1 |- |- |-
1969 |71 |43.5 |82.9 |- |- |-
1970 |71 |40.2 |83.2 |- |- |-
1971 |67 |39.2 |81.2 |- |- |-
1972 |66 |36.2 |81.5 |- |- |-
1973 |64 |31.2 |78.4 |- |- |-
1974 |70 |32.6 |81.9 |- |- |-
1975 |69 |35.5 |81.1 |- |- |-
1976 |70 |33.6 |80.0 |- |- |-
1977 |77 |32.4 |80.0 |- |- |-
1978 |70 |30.5 |78.5 |- |- |-
1979 |70 |33.9 |81.9 |49.3 |50.76 |54.85
1980 |71 |33.7 |79.3 |49.1 |43.74 |46.14
1981 |74 |37.7 |77.9 |50.6 |47.47 |45.62
1982 |75 |38.1 |74.8 |51.7 |52.51 |47.18
1983 |74 |37.8 |74.2 |52.8 |55.39 |48.5
1984 |75 |36.4 |73.4 |46.4 |53.44 |50.62
1985 |75 |36.2 |73.3 |49.1 |54.35 |48.72
1986 |75 |35.1 |71.9 |48.3 |56.14 |49.88
1987 |74 |34.1 |70.7 |47.1 |63.49 |59.87
1988 |75 |33.8 |68.7 |47.9 |65.72 |61.33
1989 |74 |32.5 |66.2 |47.0 |68.08 |63.64
1990 |74 |31.9 |65.9 |46.6 |62.99 |57.14
1991 |76 |33.0 |64.8 |47.7 |62.86 |65.96
1992 |76 |32.6 |65.5 |48.1 |69.98 |65.53
1993 |76 |32.5 |64.3 |49.1 |69.10 |63.46
1994 |76 |31.1 |64.8 |49.7 |74.61 |68.45
1995 |77 |31.0 |66.5 |51.1 |75.65 |72.63
Taxation (Leaded Petrol)
Mr. Barron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on the taxation of leaded petrol. [22969]
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Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: Over recent years Government policy has been to charge duty on road fuels at rates which will not only raise sufficient revenue but take account of the need to conserve finite stocks of fossil fuels and protect the general environment. In 1993 we announced that we would raise road fuel duties on average by at least 5 per cent. in real terms in future Budgets. This commitment forms an important part of the Government's strategy to reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels in the year 2000. A duty differential in favour of unleaded petrol was introduced in 1987 to discourage the use of leaded petrol. Unleaded petrol became liable to a rebated rate of excise duty while leaded petrol remains liable to the full rate of light oil excise duty. The rebate now stands at 4.82 per litre.
Mr. Barron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each 5p between 5p and £1 his estimate of the effect on the retail prices index of an increase in excise duty on an average (a) packet of 20 cigarettes, (b) 250g of hand-rolling tobacco, (c) packet of five cigars and (d) 250g of pipe tobacco, if such increases were to be fully reflected in price. [22957]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: The information is as follows:
Pence |Cigarettes 20 king|Cigars 5 small |Hand rolling 250 |Pipe tobacco 250
|size |cigars |grammes |grammes
|Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 |0.091 |0.003 |0.000 |0.000
10 |0.182 |0.007 |0.000 |0.000
15 |0.273 |0.010 |0.000 |0.001
20 |0.364 |0.014 |0.001 |0.001
25 |0.455 |0.017 |0.001 |0.001
30 |0.546 |0.021 |0.001 |0.001
35 |0.637 |0.024 |0.001 |0.001
40 |0.728 |0.028 |0.001 |0.002
45 |0.819 |0.031 |0.001 |0.002
50 |0.910 |0.035 |0.002 |0.002
55 |1.000 |0.038 |0.002 |0.002
60 |1.091 |0.041 |0.002 |0.002
65 |1.182 |0.045 |0.002 |0.003
70 |1.273 |0.048 |0.002 |0.003
75 |1.364 |0.052 |0.002 |0.003
80 |1.455 |0.055 |0.002 |0.003
85 |1.546 |0.059 |0.003 |0.003
90 |1.637 |0.062 |0.003 |0.004
95 |1.728 |0.066 |0.003 |0.004
100 |1.819 |0.069 |0.003 |0.004
Monetary Policy
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the statements made by the Governor of the Bank of England in respect of tightening monetary policy on the willingness of British manufacturers in the import-competing and export industries to invest in increased capacity. [23675]
Mr. Nelson: The Government can best encourage investment in all sectors by consistently following stable macroeconomic policies, including ensuring that inflation remains permanently low. Over the last year manufacturing investment rose by more than 8 per cent, and investment by machinery and equipment industries was up almost 18 per cent.
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Temazepam
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers HM Customs and Excise have to monitor and control the import and export of the drug temazepam; what is his latest estimate, expressed in kilogrammes, of the quantities imported and exported in the most recent five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [24161]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: Temazepam is not subject to importation or exportation controls under the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971; therefore, HM Customs and Excise currently has no powers to monitor or control its import or export.
The integrated tariff of the United Kingdom does not separately identify temazepam under a specific heading and commercial importations therefore cannot be identified. Exportation procedures also do not allow the quantity of consignments to be determined.
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Mathew Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the recent spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World bank.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: I attended the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World bank on 26 and 27 April. In the interim committee of the IMF, I spoke mainly about the quality of surveillance by the IMF, its finances and the need for further action on developing country debt.
Consideration of the IMF's surveillance of its members' economies was timely given recent events in Mexico. I welcome the IMF's intention to learn lessons from this experience. I made four proposals: first, for a greater frankness by the IMF in its assessment of members' economies; secondly, a better flow of information from countries both to the IMF and financial markets; thirdly, greater selectivity by the IMF in which economies to subject to close and continual monitoring; and, fourthly, the establishment of an independent evaluation unit at the IMF. The first three of these points were reflected in the committee's communique . On IMF finances, I said that the IMF should have sufficient resources to use its existing facilities at agreed access limits. Resources should not be provided in advance for exceptional circumstances such as Mexico, but where necessary the IMF's first recourse should be activation of the established credit line of the general arrangements to borrow. I did not rule out an increase in IMF quotas if and when justified.
I welcomed the agreement of the Paris Club to offer "Naples Terms" to the poorest countries on bilateral official debt along the lines set out by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in 1990. I noted that implementation was now the key issue. I also followed up the initiative I launched last autumn on debt owed to multilateral institutions. The committee agreed to a further study of the IMF's enhanced structural adjustment facility. I will press for greater certainty and increased concessionality of lending for the poorest most indebted countries financed by sale and investment of the proceeds of a small amount of the IMF's gold stocks.
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I also took part in the interim committee's discussion of the world economy and looked forward to the review of international institutions at the forthcoming G7 summit in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In the development committee of the IMF and World bank, in addition to elaborating on my proposals on debt owed to the World bank, I noted the potential that exists for increasing the proportion of infrastructure in developing countries financed by the private sector, drawing on the UK's experience of privatisation and the private finance initiative.As is customary, there was a meeting of G7 Finance Ministers and central bank governors prior to the spring meetings. Copies of the G7's communique and of the interim and development committee's, as well as my speeches to the committees, have been placed in the Library of the House.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
National Lottery
12. Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what recent discussions he has had with Oflot regarding the distribution of national lottery proceeds. [22476]
Mr. Dorrell: None. The Office of the National Lottery has no responsibility for the distribution of national lottery proceeds.
17. Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is his most recent estimate of the extent of fraud in the national lottery procedures. [22482]
Mr. Dorrell: Fraud relating to the handling and sale of national lottery tickets is a matter for Camelot and the relevant authorities. I understand that a few instances of apparent fraud have come to light and that these are being dealt with.
21. Mr. O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the use of national lottery funds to purchase the Churchill papers. [22487]
Mr. Dorrell: Under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993, the national heritage memorial fund is responsible for distributing 20 per cent. of the net proceeds from the national lottery for expenditure on or connected with the national heritage. Individual funding decisions are taken entirely independently of Government.
Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for National heritage what plans he has to review the expenditure plans of the national lottery. [22481]
Mr. Dorrell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice).
Film Industry
15. Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he is taking to encourage the United Kingdom film industry. [22479]
Mr. Dorrell: The National Heritage Select Committee published its report on the British film industry on 4 April. I shall set out the Government's approach to the industry in my response to the Committee's findings.
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European Football Championships
16. Mr. Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for National heritage what meetings he has had with local authorities with a view to exploiting the cultural potential of Euro '96, the European football Championships. [22480]
Mr. Sproat: My officials have had several meetings with local authority representatives to discuss a supporting programme of cultural events.
22. Mrs. Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assistance he is providing to local authorities with their preparations for the Euro '96 football championships. [22488]
Mr. Sproat: My officials have met local authority representatives several times, and arranged a meeting of local authorities and interested parties to encourage the development of supporting cultural events of match venues.
National Collection of Fine Art
18. Mr. Carrington: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to expand the national collection of fine art heritage objects. [22483]
Mr. Sproat: It is for the trustees of individual museums to decide on acquisitions. The Government have a number of measures which help to develop the national collections. These include the funding of the national heritage memorial fund, the Waverley system of export controls and important tax concessions. The national collections may also benefit from the net proceeds of the national lottery.
Tourism
19. Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures his Department is taking to help tourism; and if he will make a statement. [22484]
Mr. Dorrell: On 1 March, my Department published "Tourism: Competing with the Best" which set out an action programme for Government and the tourist boards aimed at revitalising the accommodation sector and improving marketing effectiveness. We are making good progress and I intend to make announcements at key stages on all of the initiatives we are pursuing.
25. Mr. Ian Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the United Kingdom's VAT rate on tourism. [22491]
Mr. Dorrell: I am not aware of any conclusive evidence that the UK's VAT rate places the tourism industry at a competitive disadvantage. The report on VAT published by the British Tourist Authority on 1 May does not take account of all the different costs to tourism business in other EU member states.
26. Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures he is proposing to encourage domestic and inbound tourism; and if he will make a statement. [22492]
Mr. Dorrell: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien).
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Sporting Provision
20. Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to encourage local authorities' sporting provision. [22486]
Mr. Sproat: It is for local authorities to determine their level of expenditure on sporting provision, in the light of their own priorities. The Department recognises the important role that local authorities play in this area and the Sports Council will continue to work closely with them, as appropriate, in pursuing its objectives.
Millennium Commission
23. Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made of the most suitable national proposal arising from the consultation on the distribution of the Millennium Commission. [22489]
Mr. Dorrell: I understand that the closing date for the first round of applications to the Millennium Commission was Monday 1 May. Around 550 applications have been received, details of which will be published later this month. Successful applicants will be announced in July this year.
Mr. Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the applications received to date by the Millennium Commission; and if he will place the list in the Library on a monthly basis. [22944]
Mr. Sproat: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I understand that information on proposals and applications received by the Millennium Commission will be made available by the end of May, and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House. The Millennium Commission will run a series of time-limited application rounds, and similar information will be made available at the end of each round.
Churchill Papers
24. Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will state the latest position over the Churchill papers. [22490]
Mr. Dorrell: The non-state papers have been purchased through lottery proceeds awarded by the national heritage memorial fund and are now held at Churchill college, Cambridge. The state papers have been transferred to Churchill college by the Government to ensure the archive remains intact. The entire archive is therefore secure for the future.
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