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TREASURY

Interest Rates

Mr. Tredinnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the position of United Kingdom interest rates relative to those of the United Kingdom's EU partners. [8204]

Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 9 January 1996]: Short and long-term interest rates in EU member states are published in tables 3.1 and 3.2 of "Money and Finance (Eurostat)" on a monthly basis. Table 1 gives three-month interbank interest rates and yields on 10-year bonds as of 8 January, for the UK and its EU partners.

EU interest rates

	10 year bonds	3-month interbank
UK	7.49	6.53
Austria	6.30	3.68
Belgium	6.62	3.74
Denmark	7.15	4.65
Finland	7.03	4.25
France	6.67	5.00
Germany	5.98	3.79
Greece	--	15.25
Ireland	7.33	5.58
Italy	10.65	10.38
Netherlands	5.96	3.49
Portugal	9.92	8.60
Spain	9.57	9.10
Sweden	8.34	8.60

10 Jan 1996 : Column: 223

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

Burma

Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the amount of humanitarian aid provided to Burma in (a) 1993-94, (b) 1994-95 and (c) 1995-96; and if he will make a statement on its purpose. [7621]

Mr. Hanley [holding answer 9 January 1996]: Our humanitarian aid to Burma over the last three financial years is as follows:

	£	Purpose
1993-94	1,400	Intravenous rehydration packs for Dengue fever victims
	22,589	Blankets and immediate relief items for fire victims
1994-95	5,000	Ringers Lactate Solution for Cholera victims
1995-96	43,512	Food, clothing and training in fire safety for fire victims
	19,108	Restoration of water and sanitation facilities for flood victims

In addition, the ODA has assisted refugees who have fled Burma into neighbouring countries. These contributions have been made through UNHCR, the International Federation of the Red Cross and non-governmental organisations. Amounts are as follows:

1993-94: £1,293,000
1994-95: £246,750
1995-96: £1,300,000.

Land Mines

Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the financial contribution made by his Department towards the cost of land mine clearance projects in (a) 1993-94, (b) 1994-95 and (c) the current financial year; and if he will make a statement. [7980]

Mr. Hanley [holding answer 9 January 1996]: UK support to global humanitarian mine clearance operations in the last three financial years is as follows:

1993-94: £3.15 million
1994-95: £5.91 million
1995-96: £3.65 million (to date).

In addition the UK's share of European Community support for mine clearance is some £3.37 million since 1992.

Aid (Value)

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the value, (a) at constant prices and (b) in cash terms of United Kingdom (i) bilateral and (ii) multilateral overseas aid has been in each financial year from 1991-92 to 1994-95; and what it is estimated to be in (1) 1995-96 and (2) each year to 1998-99. [8238]

10 Jan 1996 : Column: 224

Mr. Hanley: The information is as follows:

ODA bilateral and multilateral expenditure 1991-92 to 1995-96£ million

	Cash price		Constant 1995-96 prices
	Bilateral aid	Multilateral aid	Bilateral aid	Multilateral aid
1991-92	1,074	819	1,204	918
1992-93	1,125	934	1,212	1,006
1993-94	1,156	962	1,210	1,007
1994-95	1,120	1,117	1,151	1,148
1995-96(6)	1,126	1,131	1,126	1,131

(6) Estimated outturn. Planning figures for the period 1997-98 to 1998-99 are being finalised. As usual these figures will be published in the 1996 FCO departmental report in March.

Aid and Trade Provision

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs what is the gross national product per capita limit for aid-for-trade provision projects; and if the limit applies at gross national product per capita prices. [8235]

Mr. Hanley: The countries eligible for ATP are those with a gross national product per capita of not more than $700 in 1989. Consideration is being given to updating this to the latest available year.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the value of United Kingdom bilateral aid to sub-Saharan Africa in each year since 1973-74 (a) at constant prices and (b) in cash terms. [8239]

Mr. Hanley: The total United Kingdom bilateral gross public expenditure on aid to countries in sub-Saharan Africa from 1973 to 1994-95 is set out in the table.

£000

	Cash prices	Constant prices(7)
1973	62,679	398,747
1974	71,938	398,350
1975	75,752	329,930
1976	102,710	388,567
1977	110,930	368,563
1978	169,912	505,916
1979	202,436	526,793
1980	243,894	531,059
1981	278,706	544,624
1982	234,760	426,348
1983	225,899	389,837
1984	249,808	412,150
1985	294,285	459,361
1986	268,520	405,871
1987(8)	297,670	428,660
1987-88	247,881	354,298
1988-89	396,774	531,541
1989-90	462,826	579,554
1990-91	485,887	563,275
1991-92	419,119	457,324
1992-93	502,929	527,317
1993-94	438,319	446,544
1994-95	462,254	462,254

(7) Calender year figures are given in 1994 prices while financial year figures are given in 1994-95 prices.

(8) Prior to 1987-88 figures are only available by calendar year.

10 Jan 1996 : Column: 225

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Mr. Booth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Britain's participation in EBRD. [6865]

Mr. Hanley: We fully support the European bank for reconstruction and development which has made impressive progress over the last two years under President Larosiere. To enable it to continue its highly regarded work in promoting transition and private sector development in the countries of central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, we are participating actively in current discussions on a capital replenishment. The UK shareholding in the EBRD is 8.5 per cent. or 850 million ECU.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Companies Act

Sir Irvine Patnick: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many prosecutions there have been in breach of the Companies Act 1985; under what section each prosecution took place; and for what purpose in each year since the Act was passed. [7595]

Mr. John M. Taylor: In cases where the prosecution was brought by my Department, information on prosecutions under the Companies Act 1985 is contained in the Companies annual report which is laid before both Houses of Parliament in accordance with section 729 of the Companies Act 1985. This report does not include information on prosecutions brought by other prosecuting authorities, for example the DPP and the SFO, and records for these are not maintained within the Department.

Carpets (Belgian Beaulieu Group)

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what share of British markets for carpets is held by the Belgian Beaulieu Group. [8071]

Mr. Eggar: Statistics specific to Beaulieu products are not available.

In 1994, total Belgian exports of carpets to the UK were £184 million. This accounted for 14.7 per cent. of the UK market and 39 per cent. of all UK carpet imports.

Unfair Dismissal (Appeals)

Mr. Callaghan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for appeal against unfair dismissal have been made to each employment office in the United Kingdom in the last year. [8075]

Mr. John M. Taylor: Applications to the industrial tribunals are registered by their central offices in Bury St. Edmunds, for England and Wales, and Glasgow, for Scotland. The number of registered applications alleging unfair dismissal in 1994-95 was 35,610 for England and Wales and 3,832 for Scotland.

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