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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 14 June 1995
TREASURY
Retail Prices
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the largest percentage increase in price of any one item included in the retail prices index since May 1994. [27581]
Mr. Nelson: Average price information is available only at item level and only for selected homogeneous products. Of these average prices, the largest percentage increase was for old loose white potatoes which rose by 55 per cent. between May 1994 and April 1995. At the section level of aggregation, which is published for the whole RPI, the largest percentage increase in any index between May 1994 and April 1995 was 41 per cent. for unprocessed potatoes. The largest percentage increase for a non-seasonal item was 42 per cent. for filter coffee.
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the change in the cost of mortgage interest since May 1994; and what effect this has had on the retail prices index. [27582]
Mr. Nelson: The percentage increase in the mortgage interest payments index between May 1994 and April 1995 contributed +0.79 percentage points to the 2.9 per cent. increase in all items RPI. During this period the average mortgage interest rate used in the calculation of this index rose from 7.70 per cent. to 8.36 per cent.
Capital Gains Tax
Mr. Barry Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the new date will be for the payment of capital gains tax under self-assessment; how the bringing forward of its date will affect the period allowed for reinvestment relief; and in what respects he will adjust the effects of this change of date for capital gains and taxpayers in respect of periods of relief. [27933]
Sir George Young: Under self-assessment, capital gains tax will normally become due and payable on 31 January following the year of assessment to which it relates. This is later than the present date of 1 December. Reinvestment relief is available where qualifying shares are acquired within one year before, or three years after, the disposal of an asset. The change in the due and payable date for capital gains tax under self-assessment does not affect this period.
VAT (Home Care)
Mr. Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to zero rate home care servicesfor VAT purposes where the home care is providedby non-medically qualified personnel in the private sector. [28218]
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Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: None. Any extension of existing zero rates would be contrary to the EC sixth VAT directive.
Additional Personal Allowance
Mrs. Maddock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many married men with a totally incapacitated wife were entitled to the additional personal allowance for the year 1994 95. [28345]
Sir George Young: About 10,000.
Mrs. Maddock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the annual costs of extending the additional personal allowance to married women with a totally incapacitated husband. [28343]
Sir George Young: I regret that the information requested is not available.
Inland Revenue and Contributions Agency
Mr. French: To ask the Chancellor or the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the administrative savings to be made from amalgamating the Inland Revenue and the Contributions Agency. [28334]
Sir George Young: The relationship between the Contributions Agency and the Inland Revenue was examined last year. It was concluded that the overlap between the Revenue and the agency did not warrant an amalgamation of the two businesses. In addition, any efficiency gains would be outweighed by transitional costs and disruption to both departments.
Work is in hand, as part of their respective deregulatory plans, to achieve closer working between the two organisations which should offer worthwhile savings to business.
Income Tax
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the annual cost to the Exchequer of reducing the tax rate applicable to the lower rate income tax band from 20 per cent. to 10 per cent. [28140]
Sir George Young [holding answer 12 June 1995]: The direct revenue cost would be about £5.2 billion in a full year at 1995 96 income levels.
Earnings (Female)
Ms Lynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of women who have earnings below (a) the tax threshold and (b) the national insurance threshold at the latest date. [27951]
Sir George Young [holding answer 13 June 1995]: It is estimated that in 1995 96 about 2.2 million women employees have no income tax liability, and about 2.3 million have earnings below the national insurance lower earnings limit. Some women in this latter category will be taxpayers due to income from other sources.
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what dates he or other Ministers or former Ministers in his Department received extracts for comment from Sir Richard Scott's draft report; on what date comments were submitted to Sir Richard; and what requests have been made for an extension of the period within which comments should have been made. [27555]
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Mr. Kenneth Clarke [holding answer 12 June 1995]: The Government do not disclose details of correspondence between the inquiry and individual witnesses. In the case of draft extracts in particular, the inquiry has asked that these be treated in the strictest confidence.
Economic Statement
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Chancellor ofthe Exchequer if he will make a statement on the economy. [29179]
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: Achieving low inflation is a key feature of the Government's economic policy to deliver prosperity and secure jobs. The Government's current aim for underlying inflation is to keep within the range 1 to 4 per cent., and to get down to the lower half of the range-- that is 2 per cent. or less--by the end of the present Parliament. I am fully committed to achieving that aim and do not propose to change it.
Beyond this Parliament, I propose that our aim will be to continue to achieve underlying inflation--measured by the RPI excluding mortgage interest payments--of 2 per cent. or less. Monetary policy will be set consistently to achieve this target. This should ensure that inflation will remain in the range 1 to 4 per cent.
Achieving this target would put us on course to achieve the best performance on inflation this country has seen for over half a century and one of the best performances in Europe.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Churchill Papers
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consideration he gave to arranging for the Sir Winston Churchill wartime documents to be circulated to museums and county archives throughout the United Kingdom, instead of being housed permanently at Churchill college, Cambridge; and if he will make a statement. [27935]
Mr. Dorrell: In making a grant to the Sir Winston Churchill archive trust, access to the archives and the conservation and presentation of the papers to scholars and the general public were always key priorities for the trustees of the national heritage memorial Fund. Churchill college, Cambridge will be mounting an exhibition of selected papers from the Churchill archive at the Jock Colville hall, from 29 June to 4 July. There are also plans to show selected papers at the British museum, at the national museums of Scotland and Wales and at other institutions in the near future.
English Heritage (Advice)
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of Statefor National Heritage if he will list the occasions when advice by English Heritage in relation to urban development corporations has been overruled by a Secretary of State; and what was in each case thereason for the decision to overrule advice by English Heritage. [27785]
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Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 12 June 1995]: My Department has no record of any cases in which English Heritage's advice on scheduled monument consent applications by urban development corporations has been overruled.
Royal William Yard, Plymouth
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations have been received by his Department regarding the type of slate to be used on the roof of listed buildings at Royal William yard in Plymouth, and if he is prepared to accept further representations. [27787]
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 12 June 1995]: My Department has received representations from Camborne Natural Slate Ltd. As with all applications for scheduled monument consent, I will consider all relevant representations up to the time of my decision.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to make recommendations to the Plymouth development corporation regarding the type of slate which shouldbe used to cover the roof area of listed buildings within the Royal William yard; and if he will make a statement. [27791]
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 12 June 1995]: I have no such plans. My Department has received six applications for scheduled monument consent from the Plymouth development corporation to refurbish individual buildings in the Royal William yard, Plymouth, which would include the replacement of roof slates. My Department is currently considering advice received from English Heritage, which has had discussions with the development corporation about the choice of historically appropriate slates. I will issue decisions in due course.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the total cost difference between using Camborne slate and Welsh slate to cover the roofs of listed buildings at Royal William yard in Plymouth. [27784]
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 12 June 1995]: Precise figures cannot be released for reasons of commercial confidentiality but I understand that Welsh slates are expected to be 50 per cent. more expensive than Camborne slates.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what scientific evidence has been presented to his Department by English Heritage in respect of its decision to recommend the use of Welsh slate on the roof of listed buildings at Royal William yard in Plymouth. [27786]
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 12 June 1995]: I am advised by English Heritage that Rennie's original specification for roofing material in Royal William yard merely required best sized Queen Rag slates. The actual source of the slates was not specified, and has not been identified by historical research. In practice, the choice would have been between Welsh and Cornish slates. The latter are no longer available in the quantity required, and Welsh slates remain the likely nearest equivalent historically, and the best match in terms of tones and textures.
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Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the original slate specification in the application for monument consent by Plymouth development corporation regarding the roof area of listed buildings at Royal William yard; how many times the slate specification has since been changed; and what is the current slate specification. [27788]
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 12 June 1995]: None of the six applications for scheduled monument consent contained a specification for a particular source of slate when first submitted by the Plymouth development corporation. Camborne natural slates were subsequently proposed by the Plymouth development corporation for four of the applications, but all the applications have now been changed by the corporation to specify slates of Welsh origin.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Aid Fraud
Mr. Hutton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many firms of solicitors are currently being investigated for alleged legal aid fraud by the Legal Aid Board; and what were the figures in each of the last five years. [28318]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The number of detailed investigations currently being undertaken by the Legal Aid Board against solicitors' firms for alleged legal aid fraud is 87. These are all cases which have been carried forward from 1994 95. To date, no new cases have been undertaken this financial year.
The number of detailed investigations in each of the last five years is as follows:
|Cases brought
|forward from |New cases |Total cases
Financial year |previous year |started |during year
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |31 |28 |59
1991-92 |53 |25 |78
1992-93 |60 |38 |98
1993-94 |74 |32 |106
1994-95 |89 |28 |117
EDUCATION
Chinley School
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received in relation to the proposal for grant- maintained status at Chinley school, Derbyshire; and if she will give a breakdown of the nature of those representations and their origin. [28467]
Nursery Vouchers
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her answer of 6 June, Official Report , column 9 , which of the bodies listed in the reply to the hon. Member for the City of Durham (Mr. Steinberg) of 7 February, Official Report , column 145 , supported the introduction of vouchers for nursery education. [28275]
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Mr. Forth: Most of the responses to consultation were received before voucher funding for pre-school education became an issue for debate.
Nevertheless, written responses from the following organisations support a voucher scheme;
Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools
National Private Day Nurseries Association
Playgroup Network
The GM Initiative.
Technology Centres
Ms Estelle Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is her Department's involvement in the network of regional technology centres being set up by the Gatsby charitable foundation; and if she will make a statement. [28280]
Mr. Forth: The Department for Education and the Office for Standards in Education are represented on the working group for this initiative. We welcome the support that the Gatsby charitable foundation is giving to technology education.
School Meals
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the percentage and number of children receiving (a) free school meals and (b) parentally paid for school meals for the last 10 years in England. [28439]
Mr. Robin Squire: Information on school meal arrangements in maintained schools in England since 1989 is shown in the table. Information prior to 1989 is not available on a comparable basis although results of earlier school meals censuses were published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in, for example, "School Meal Statistics at October 1988" copies of which are available in the Library.
Number and percentages<1> of day-pupils taking paid and free
school meals in maintained schools<2> in England 1989-94
Position in January each year
Paid Free
|Number |Percentage|Number |Percentage
------------------------------------------------------------------
1994 |1,980,295 |27 |1,217,126 |17
1993 |1,956,106 |27 |1,137,895 |16
1992 |2,001,644 |28 |998,872 |14
1991 |2,130,350 |31 |819,058 |12
1990 |2,203,226 |32 |762,486 |11
1989 |2,205,181 |32 |776,900 |11
<1> The number of day pupils who took a paid or free meal on the
census day expressed as a percentage of the number of day pupils
on roll.
<2> Excludes sixth form colleges which ceased to be classified as
schools in April 1993.
Bull Bars
Mr. Keith Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many vehicles owned or hired by her Department are fitted with bull bars; for what reasons; and what plans she has to remove them. [28251]
Mr. Boswell: None of the vehicles owned by the Department are fitted with bull bars.
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Teachers' Salaries
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list for each education authority not in receipt of area cost adjustment the average teacher's salary for the last year for which figures are available; if she will list for each education authority in receipt of area cost adjustment the average teacher's salary for the last year for which figures are available' and whether average salaries include (i) London weighting allowances and(ii) special responsibility allowances. [28362]
Mr. Robin Squire: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield Brightside, (Mr. Blunkett) on 12 June, Official Report , column 417 . The average salaries quoted in the table do include London weighting allowances and incentive allowances for additional responsibilities where applicable.
Pre-school Provision
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the number and percentage of four-year-olds in (a) maintained nursery schools and nursery classes, (b) reception classes in primary schools, (c) private or voluntary sector provision and (d) pre-school provision overall, at the latest available date. [28079]
Mr. Forth: The table shows the breakdown between schools for four- year-olds born between 1 January 1989 and 31 August 1989. This is based on information collected in the Department's schools' census in January 1994. It excludes both those children who were three years old on 31 August 1993 but who were four years old on 1 January 1994, and those who were four years old on 31 August 1993 but who were five years old on 1 January 1994-- the rising fives.
A separate estimate of all children who were four years old on 1 January 1994 suggests that at that time 498,000 four-year-olds--77 per cent. of all children aged four--were attending maintained schools. We estimate that approximately 120,000 more--19 per cent. of all children aged four--were in some form of private or voluntary provision.
Pupils aged 4 years of age in schools in England: January 1994
|Percentage of
School type |Pupils |population<1>
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Maintained nursery schools
and infant classes |48,176 |11
Infant classes in primary
schools |326,634 |75
Independent schools<2> |18,511 |4
All schools<3> |395,384 |91
<1>Full-time and part-time pupils aged 4 years of age at 31 August
1993 excluding pupils of compulsory school age in January 1994 (the
rising 5s), expressed as a percentage of the relevant portion of the
population aged 4 at 31 August 1993.
<2>Includes pupils in direct grant nursery schools.
<3>Includes pupils in maintained nursery, primary and special
schools, non-maintained special schools and independent schools.
Student Grants
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the number and percentage of students in higher education qualifying for full maintenance grants. [20011]
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Mr. Boswell: Information is collected centrally only on the effect of means testing on some grants paid to students in higher education. Provisional figures for 1993 94 show that 325,000 mandatory award holders domiciled in England and Wales received grants which were not reduced on account of their or their parents' or spouses' resources. This represents 45 per cent. of all mandatory award holders.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Firearms
Mr. Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken to ensure that deactivated firearms are not brought back into use. [27908]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: The standards to which firearms are deactivated have been comprehensively reviewed. Revised, more stringent specifications will be introduced shortly.
Live Performances (Minors)
Mr. Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State forthe Home Department what advice he has given tolocal authorities about the admission of minors tolive performances in local authority venues of material classified as adult viewing when available onvideotape. [27968]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: None. The Theatres Act 1968 does not provide for age restrictions to be included in the licensing conditions imposed by local authorities.
Equalities Associates
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) to what extent the contract for race and community relations training which was put out to tender in 1994 was similar to the previous contract awarded to Equalities Associates in 1989; and if he will list the differences; [28134]
(2) pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report, column 152 , if the contract awarded to Equalities Associates in 1994 was the same as was tendered for by Equalities Associates and others in 1994; and if he will place copies of the contracts, for (a) 1989 and (b) 1994, in the Library. [28135]
Mr. Maclean: Details of contracts are subject to commercial confidentiality. On each occasion, bidders were invited to submit their plans for the provision of specialist support in community and race relations training for the police service. Equalities Associates provided the best combination of quality and value in competition with other bidders, and the contract with it was finalised by negotiation.
Race and Community Relations
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the central planning and training unit and the police staff college will be employing civilians and lay contributors to provide training in race and community relations in accordance with the recommendations by Lord Scarman. [28133]
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Mr. Maclean: Both the central planning and training unit and the police staff college already employ civilian trainers who assist in providing community and race relations training. Both establishments work closely with the specialist support unit, Turvey, which provides training for the training staff, and with the Equal Opportunities Commission and Commission for Racial Equality who provide contributions for some courses.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will provide a breakdown by ethnic origin for all staff at the police staff college, Bramshill and the central planning and training unit, Harrogate; which are civilians and which are serving police officers; if he will list the dates on which they joined the units, their grades or ranks; if he will list those who would be used as trainers for the race and community relations courses at the police staff college and the central police training unit; and if these persons would be trained to deliver race and community relations training. [28131]
Mr. Maclean: Of 108 staff at the central planning and training unit, Harrogate, 104 are white and four are of ethnic minority origin, 67 are police officers and 41 are civilians.
The most recent survey at the police staff college, Bramshill, showed that of 100 civilian staff, 91 were white, three were of ethnic minority origin, and six were not classified. The survey did not cover police officers, of whom there are currently 20. Staff who deliver training in community and race relations at either the police staff college or at the central planning and training unit undergo appropriate training at the Home Office specialist support unit, Turvey.
The other information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report , column 192 , if he will place in the Library a copy of the HMI (Schools) and the independent assessor's report on the specialist support unit. [28129]
Mr. Maclean: These reports will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report , columns 192 93 , if he will place in the Library copies of the relevant minutes regarding funding of the Home Office specialist support unit's management board meetings. [28137]
Mr. Maclean: No. The board is not an executive body, and decisions on funding remain with the Home Office.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the expertise of the central planning and training unit and the police staff college to provide the training in race and community relations to the level that is currently being provided by the Home Office specialist support unit; and if he will make a statement. [28132]
Mr. Maclean: The present contract of the specialist support unit-- requires it to provide advice and support to the central planning and training unit--EPTU--so that the latter should be capable of providing community and race relations training to police service trainers by the end of the current contract period in June 1997. The SSU provides advice to both the CPTU and Bramshill in the planning of community and race relations elements in
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training courses. It is for the management of the colleges to ensure training provision is effective.Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report , column 193 , how many police officers, at the level of superintendent and above, have attended the Holly Royde seminars in the last five years. [28128]
Mr. Maclean: A total of 222 officers have attended as members of the seminar over the last five years, of which 99 were at superintendent rank or above. In addition a number of senior officers, including chief constables, have contributed to the seminar programme.
Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report , column 192 , if he will list the amount paid by the Home Office to the Home Office specialist support unit for race and community relations training in (a) 1993 94 and (b) 1994 95, and the amounts paid by HMI of constabulary to the Home Office specialist support unit in (a) 1993 94 and (b) 1994 95. [28136]
Mr. Maclean: Home Office funding for the unit was as follows, including provision of approximately £60,000 in each year for seconded police liaison officers:
1993 94: £598,000
1994 95: £543,000
No funding was provided to the unit by HM inspectorate of constabulary.
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