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European Monetary Institute
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Bank of England has now invested in the EMI in Frankfurt. [22448]
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 4 May 1995]: I refer to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Llanelli(Mr. Davies) on 6 February, Official Report, column 63. The position is unchanged since that reply was given.
Tax Bands
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish estimates for the revenue cost in 1995 96, 1996 97 and for a full year of extending the 20 per cent. tax band by (a) £1,000, (b) £2,500, (c) £5,000, (d) £7,500, (e) £10,000, (f) £12,500, (g) £15,000, (h) £17,500 and (i) £20,000. [23352]
Sir George Young [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Available estimates are as follows:
Increasing the lower |Full year revenue
rate band by: |cost at 1995-96
|levels<1>
£ |£ billion
---------------------------------------------------------------
1,000 |1.0
2,500 |2.3
5,000 |4.2
7,500 |5.6
10,000 |6.8
12,500 |7.6
15,000 |8.3
17,500 |8.7
20,000 |9.1
<1> The figures include consequential effects on the yield of
capital gains tax.
Income Tax
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will (a) list the rates of income tax below 25 per cent., and the brands of income in (i) local currency terms and (ii) sterling equivalents, to which they apply, for each OECD country and (b) provide estimates for the number of different tax bands applying in the income tax system of each OECD country; [24368]
(2) if he will update the answer to the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) of 28 October 1993, Official Report , column 749 , and list the rates of income tax over 25 per cent., and the bands of income, in (a) local currency terms and (b) sterling equivalents, to which they apply, for each OECD country. [24369]
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Sir George Young [holding answer 16 May 1995]: The information requested in the two questions, giving all rates of tax and income bands for each OECD country, has been placed in the Library of the House.
EMPLOYMENT
Take-home Pay
Mr. Devlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the change in real take-home pay for single wage earners in the bottom 10 per cent. of earnings in the north-east region of England between (a) 1974 and 1979 and (b) 1979 and 1995. [21316]
Mr. Oppenheim: The real take-home pay for an unmarried man at the bottom 10 per cent. of the full-time male wage distribution in the Northern region increased by 1.2 per cent. or £1.50--in 1993 94 prices--between 1973 74 and 1978 79, and by 17.7 per cent. or £20.50 between 1978 79 and 1993 94.
Spain
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much subsidy has been given to Spain in each of the last three years from the European Community for employment; and what is the forecast of funding to Spain for each of the next three years. [24682]
Miss Widdecombe: The information is not available in the form requested. Amounts committed to Spain from the European social fund to part finance a variety of measures in the field of vocational training and employment in recent years are as follows:
Period |Source |Amount (Mecu) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1989-1993 |Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5b|4,151.00 1991-1993 |Community Initiatives |152.19 1994-1996 |Objective 2 |259.90 1994-1999 |Objective 1, 3, 4 |7,890.00
A commitment of 664 mecu has also been made to Spain for objective 5b across all the structural funds, but information on the proportion that will be committed to ESF activities is not held. Information on community initiatives over the period from 1994 is not yet available.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Africa
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the Government intend to provide to Africa through (a) bilateral channels and (b) multilateral channels over the next three years. [23795]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 15 May 1995]: Over the next three years, we plan to provide over £900 million of development assistance to Africa, including the middle east, through our bilateral programme. In addition to this, certain low-income, credit-worthy countries in Africa are eligible for assistance under the aid and trade provision.
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We will continue to provide emergency assistance in Africa, as needs arise.It is not possible to provide planning figures for our contribution to Africa through multilateral institutions. We estimate our share will be around £2 billion based on past experience.
EDUCATION
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many chief education officers are currently employed in Berkshire; and how many she expects will be employed when the proposed reorganisation of local government has been completed. [24532]
Mr. Robin Squire: Under section 88 of the Education Act 1994, each local education authority has to have a chief education officer. Berkshire has one. Following reorganisation, each new LEA in the Berkshire area will have one.
Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the expected provision, quality and accountability of education services in the Reading urban area when that area is governed by three education authorities under the proposed reorganisation of local government in Berkshire. [24534]
Mr. Robin Squire: The Government's aim in reorganising local government is to improve cost-effectiveness and the quality and co- ordination of local services. The role of local education authorities will not change specifically as a result of the reorganisation of local government. It will be for the new LEAs to play their part in ensuring that the education service is run at least as effectively as now.
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for how many schools and pupils each of the proposed unitary authorities in England will have responsibility. [24583]
Mr. Robin Squire: The information requested is not yet available.
University Lecturers
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the difference in levels of pay for lecturers in the old and new universities in 1988 89; and what is the difference currently. [24379]
Mr. Boswell: Lecturers in the old universities were paid on average £37.10 per week more in April 1989 and £48.80 per week more in April 1994 than those in former local authority further and higher education. It is not possible to give a separate figure for new universities from the "New Earnings Survey".
Rural White Paper
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is her estimate of the net annual saving, or cost, of her Department's submission for the proposed White Paper on the rural economy. [24330]
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Mr. Forth: Proposals for the White Paper remain subject to continuing collective consideration and discussion. The cost of measures contained in the White Paper will be taken into account in the public expenditure survey.
Professors
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many professors there were in the (a) old and (b) new universities for 1988 89; and how many there are currently. [24380]
Mr. Boswell: In the academic year 1988 89 there were 3,442 full-time staff at professorial grade in English former University Funding Council- funded universities. The comparable figure for 1992 93 was 4,391.
In the former PCFC-funded English polytechnics granted university status, there were 3,614 wholly institution financed full-time academic staff at principal lecturer grade, and some 925 full-time academic staff graded above principal lecturer in the academic year 1992 93. Data for 1988 89 were not collected centrally.
University Promoted Posts
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many promoted posts there were in the (a) old and (b) new universities for 1988 89; and how many there are currently. [24378]
Mr. Boswell: Data on promoted posts are not available centrally.
Student Dependency Grant
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many students in receiptof dependency grant last year were (a) women and (b) men; [24591]
(2) how many students in receipt of dependency grant last year were married; [24592]
(3) how many students last year received dependency grant; and at what cost to the Exchequer. [24590]
Mr. Boswell: Provisional figures for the academic year 1993 94 show that 27,000 mandatory award holders resident in England and Wales received dependants' allowances. The gross value of these allowances was £55 million. Since these allowances are means-tested, the cost to the Exchequer will have been less that this amount. Information on the marital status or gender of students in receipt of dependants' allowances is not collected centrally.
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will bring forward regulations to ensure that women students with dependent children do not lose their entitlement to dependency grant when they marry. [24589]
Mr. Boswell: Under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations, the additional allowance to the student's grant which can be made for children who are
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wholly or mainly financially dependent on him or her will continue after marriage if the children remain his or her dependants.DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Complaints
Ms Hodge: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what policy and procedure exists for dealing with complaints against central Government Departments by members of the public; when each Department last updated its policy; what time limit and target for dealing with complaints by members of the public exists for each central Government Department; and what follow-up procedure exists where complainants against each central Government Department are not satisfied with the Department's response to a complaint. [23715]
Mr. Horam: Each central Government Department is responsible for its own policy and procedure for handling complaints. The information requested is not held centrally.
Any member of the public who is dissatisfied with how a Department has dealt with his complaint may ask a Member of Parliament to submit his complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration for investigation and review.
Departmental Performance
Ms Hodge: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what performance indicators there are for measuring the performance of central Government Departments in answering letters from members of the public; what is each Government Department's target for answering letters; how performance is monitored by each Government Department; and what is the performance against the target set by each Government Department. [23717]
Mr. Horam: Government Departments are responsible for ensuring that their handling of letters from members of the public is effective, and for setting their own targets. Departments and agencies are encouraged to publish such targets in their charter statements as appropriate.
Ms Hodge: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what performance indicators there are for measuring the performance of central Government Departments in answering telephone calls from members of the public; what is each Government Department's target for answering calls; how performance is monitored by each Government Department; and what has been the performance against the target set by each Government Department. [23716]
Mr. Horam: It is for individual Departments to decide whether performance standards for answering telephone calls from members of the public should be set, and at what level. Standards may cover all or part of the Department. The monitoring of calls to see whether standards are met, and any resulting management action, is the responsibility of individual Departments. Information on the performance of Government Departments in answering telephone calls is not held centrally and could not be collected without incurring disproportionate cost.
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People and their Governments in the Information Age"
Mr. Allen: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on CCTA's participation in the electronic on-line meetings "People and their Governments", organised by the US Administration. [24598]
Mr. Horam: "People and Their Governments in the Information Age" was a two-week electronic on-line conference, held on 1 to 14 May, organised by the US Administration using the world-wide web and the Internet. The purpose of the conference was to garner public opinion on the use of information technology by federal, state and local governments.
I am delighted to report that CCTA, the Government centre for information systems, was the only non-American organisation specifically invited to participate. It did so by establishing an Internet mailbox to facilitate United Kingdom contributions, to be consolidated into a single response.
In the UK we have had collaborative open groups established on the Internet for the past six months, allowing users to contribute to discussions on a wide range of topics relating to the Government's use of information superhighways. We are exploring ways in which the participation in these debates can be widened.
PRIME MINISTER
Special Advisers
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the name, former occupation and supervising Minister of each special adviser currently employed from any Government funding source; and if he will list the salary range of such advisers as of 5 May; and if he will make a statement. [24211]
The Prime Minister: There are 36 special advisers currently employed by Government Departments; details of their names, former occupations, and Ministers are as follows. For information on the salary range of special advisers I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 28 February 1995, Official Report , columns 484 85 .
The following is the information:
Name |Former occupation |Minister
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
K. Adams |Personal Assistant to the Right Hon. John Gummer |Secretary of State for the Environment
P. Barnes |Management Consultant, Boston Consulting Group |Secretary of State for Social Security
J. Bercow |Director, Rowland Sallingbury Casey |Chief Secretary
N. Blackwell |Partner, McKinsey and Co. Consultants |Prime Minister
C. Blunt |Public Affairs Consultant, PI Political |Secretary of State for Defence
Miss A. Broom |Freelance Political Consultant |Secretary of State for Employment
T. Burke* |Director, Green Alliance |Secretary of State for Environment
J. Caine |Desk Officer, Conservative Research Department |Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
T. Collins |Communications Director, Conservative Central Office |Prime Minister
Dr. E. Cottrell |Assistant Director, Conservative |Secretary of State for Education
|Research Department
Dr. W. Eltis* |Director General, National |President of the Board of Trade
|and Economic Development Office
Miss C. Fairbairn |Strategy Consultant, McKinsey and Co. Consultants |Prime Minister
M. Fraser |Assistant Director, Conservative Research Department |Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
A. Hockley |Economic Adviser, Air Transport Users Council, |Secretary of State for Health
|and Freelance Adviser
Miss S. Hole |Secretary to Lord Rothschild |Chief Whip
M. Izatt |Research Assistant to Mr. Raymond Robertson MP |Secretary of State for Scotland
A. Kemp* |Owner of ODP Nexus Ltd. |President of the Board of Trade
G. Maclay |Economic Researcher, Pieda plc |Secretary of State for Scotland
M. Maclay |Associate Editor, "The European" |Secretary of State for Foreign and
|Commonwealth Affairs
R. Marsh |Writer and Researcher on Environment and Local Government,|Secretary of State for Health
|Conservative Central Office
Ms S. McEwean |Account Executive Namara Cowan Ltd. |Lord Privy Seal
M. McManus |Desk Officer for Wales, Conservative Central Office |Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
P. Moman |Self Employed Consultant and Writer |Lord President
L. O'Connor* |Self Employed Architect |Secretary of State for the Environment
Mrs. K. Ramsay |Desk Officer, Conservative Central Office |Prime Minister
|Research Department
P. Rock |Assistant Director Conservative Central Office |Home Secretary
D. Ruffley |Solicitor, Clifford Chance |Chancellor of the Exchequer
D. Rutley |Business Development Director, Pepsi Cola |Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
M. Simmonds |Researcher, BBC Political Research Unit |Secretary of State for Transport
D. Soskin |Chief Executive of Asquith Courts Schools Ltd. |Prime Minister
Lady Strathnaver |Adviser to Right Hon. Michael Heseltine MP |President of the Board of Trade
N. True |Director, Public Policy Unit |Prime Minister
Miss A. Warburton |Private Secretary |Prime Minister
Miss R. Whetstone |Head of Political Section, Conservative Central Office |Home Secretary
H. Williams |Governing Body of Rugby School, also |Secretary of State for Wales
|Freelance Journalist and Writer
S. Williams |Company Secretary, Williams Lea Group |Prime Minister
Note:
Special advisers fall into two categories, political and those with specialised expertise relevant to their appropriate Secretary of State. The latter are indicated by an asterisk.
TRANSPORT
Eastleigh Rail Maintenance Ltd.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the cost of (a) terminating and (b) terminating in perpetuity the contractual commitments relating to intellectual property rights of contractors to Eastleigh Rail Maintenance Ltd. for rolling stock maintenance in order to complete the privatisation contract of Eastleigh Rail Maintenance Ltd.; [24045]
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(2) what action the British Rail Board has taken in respect of the contractual commitments relating to intellectual property rights of contractors to Eastleigh Rail Maintenance Ltd. in order to complete the privatisation contract of Eastleigh Rail Maintenance Ltd.; [24044](3) what plans the British Rail Board has to enter into contractual commitments relating to intellectual property rights as a consequence of the privatisation process of Eastleigh Rail Maintenance Ltd.; [24043]
(4) what is the cost to the British Rail Board entering into contractual commitments relating to intellectual property rights as a consequence of the privatisation process of Eastleigh Rail Maintenance Ltd. [24042]
Mr. Watts: The British Railways Board is taking steps to ensure that the BR Maintenance Ltd. depots, including Eastleigh, are transferred to the private sector with adequate access to intellectual property rights. The terms of sale and purchase contracts, both in relation to such rights and generally, are a matter of commercial confidence between the BR Board and purchasers.
London-Tilbury-Southend Line
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions over the past 12 months services have been interrupted on the London-Tilbury-Southend line due to broken rail track; and if he will make a statement. [24496]
Mr. Watts: Railtrack informs me that services on the London-Tilbury- Southend line have been affected by broken rails on seven occasions during the past 12 months.
A303
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 27 March, Official Report , column 510 , when he will announce the date for the start of the round-table conference on improvements to the A303 at Stonehenge; and who will be its chairman. [24687]
Mr. Watts: I will announce the arrangements for a conference including the name of the chairman later in the year.
M65 (Protestors)
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which contractor was awarded the contract to clear the protestors involved with the M65 extension; what was the cost of the work undertaken; and whether the contract was subject to competitive tendering. [24403]
Mr. Watts: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Joan Walley, dated 17 May 1995: Mr. John Watts has asked me to write in reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, which contractor was awarded the contract to clear the protestors involved with the M65 extension; what was the cost of the work undertaken; and whether the contract was subject to competitive tendering.
I assume your question refers to the eviction of protestors from Stanworth Woods on the line of the M65 which took place between 1 and 5 May. This action was entirely the responsibility of the Under-Sheriff of Lancashire. He was accompanied by teams of bailiffs and specialist climbers. The Under- Sheriff directly recruited these teams and there was no involvement by the Highways Agency.
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The Under-Sheriff will in due course submit a bill to the Treasury Solicitor for the costs he has incurred. The Treasury Solicitor will arrange payment on behalf of the Agency.The main contractor for the scheme is the Alfred McAlpine-AMEC joint venture. They employ Group 4 Total Security as a security sub-contractor. In accordance with the Agency's current requirements Group 4 were appointed after quotations were obtained from three security firms. During the eviction process Group 4 guards were present, but took no part in the actual evictions. Their job was merely to keep the site secure after the protestors had been evicted. The cost to the Agency of security and other contractor expenses for the week (but excluding the Under-Sheriff's costs) is estimated at some £100,000.
Driving Standards Agency
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the full cost of his Department, the Driving Standards Agency and the Treasury of the recent market test of the Driving Standards Agency booking service and list the costs according to consultancies, implementation costs, the establishment of residual functions, accommodation and staffing costs including the costs of redundancies and recruitment; [24426]
(2) what is his estimate of the short and long-term savings which will be made as a result of the market test of the Driving Standards Agency booking service; [24427]
(3) if he will place in the Library a copy of the successful bid for the Driving Standards Agency booking service. [24425]
Mr. Norris: These are operational matters for the Driving Standards Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from B. L. Herdan to Ms Joan Walley, dated 17 May 1995: The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to the following questions concerning the recent Market Test of the Agency's regional booking service.
The costs of the market test exercise up to the announcement of the result were: consultancies £76,647 and staff time and effort £148,000. The implementation exercise has commenced but it is too early to assess the actual costs of redundancies, recruitment and the reorganisation of the residual functions.
The In-House Bid proposals will provide a saving of £1.3 million over the three years of the contract. The anticipated savings over 10 years of implementing the In-House Bid are £5.2 million.
No. The submission made by the successful bidder contains information which is commercial in confidence.
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff are employed in the Scottish booking office of the Driving Standards Agency; how many of them will transfer to Newcastle if the office is relocated there; and what will be the cost to the Exchequer of these transfer and of any voluntary redundancy or early retirement packages taken up because of the relocation decision. [24277]
Mr. Norris: This is an operational matter for the Driving Standards Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from B. L. Herdan to Mr. John McAllion, dated 17 May 1995.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the staff in the Scottish Booking Office.
At present 17 staff are employed in the Booking Office in Edinburgh. None of these staff are expected to transfer with the work to the Newcastle office. Local transfers to other Government Department sin the Edinburgh area have already been agreed for 4 staff and similar transfers are being sought for those remaining.
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Two members of staff have sought voluntary early retirement at a total cost of £18,000 compensation. Full estimates of these costs for any remaining staff cannot be given until discussions with other Departments on transfers are complete.Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many driving tests were booked through the Scottish booking office of the Driving Standards Agency in each of the past three years; [24275] (2) what is the annual cost of running the (a) the Scottish booking office and (b) the Newcastle office of the Driving Standards Agency; and how many driving tests are booked through each office annually; [24278]
(3) whom he consulted on his proposal to relocate the Scottish booking office of the Driving Standards Agency to Newcastle; how many responses he received as a result; and how many of them supported the relocation. [24276]
Mr. Norris: These are operational matters for the Driving Standards Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from B. L. Herdan to Mr. John McAllion, dated 17 May 1995 :
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning the relocation of the driving tests booking responsibility in Scotland from Edinburgh to Newcastle.
The number of applications dealt with by the Agency's Booking Office in Scotland in each of the past three years was, 1992/93 156, 594, 1993/94 153,625 and 1994/95 157,004.
The cost of running the office in Haymarket House, Edinburgh during 1995/96 is £119,008 or £268.58 per m2. This takes account of a rent free first quarter agreed when the Agency moved into the accommodation last year. For 1996/97 this would rise to £134,090 or £302.62 per m2. The cost for Westgate House, Newcastle is £212,182 or £226.93 per m2. These do not include staffing costs.
The number of driving tests booked through each office varies from year to year. During the period 1 April 1994 31 March 1995 the office in Edinburgh dealt with 157,004 applications, whilst Newcastle dealt with 234,190 applications.
There is no requirement under the Market Testing guidance to undertake a consultation exercise on proposals in bids. Since the result of the Market Test was announced some 33 items of correspondence have been received opposing the decision; no correspondence has been received supporting the decision.
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Mr. Mills: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish his response to the judgment of the Colonel Owen case on compensation for those affected by public works with special reference to motorways; and if he will make a statement. [24364]
Mr. Watts: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave my right hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir J. Stanley) on 23 March, Official Report , column 317 .
M42
Mr. Mills: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce the date for the conclusion of the public inquiry on the proposed widening of the M42; and if he will make a statement; [24363]
Mr. Watts: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to reply.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Iain Mills, dated 17 May 1995. As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking
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the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will announce the date for the conclusion of the public inquiry on the proposed widening of the M42; and if he will make a statement.The Highways Agency have yet to put forward their recommendations to the Secretary of State on the options for widening following last year's public exhibitions. We are still considering carefully all the issues raised.
The question of a public inquiry would not arise until the Secretary of State had announced his preferred option and the Agency had published draft Orders for the widening to which statutory objections have been received.
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