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SCOTLAND
Forestry Commission
Mr. Cynog Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria were employed in the selection of a new director general for the Forestry Commission. [3723]
8 Dec 1995 : Column: 408
Mr. Kynoch: The criteria used in selecting the new director general, including the qualities, experience and other attributes required, were set out in the leaflet, "Forestry Commission: Director General: Information for Applicants: B/2507", a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
8 Dec 1995 : Column: 409
Mr. Whittingdale:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whom he intends to appoint to conduct the inquiry into appointments made by North Lanarkshire council and if he will make a statement. [5514]
Mr. Michael Forsyth:
Under the powers conferred on me by section 211 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 I have appointed Mr. D. I. K. MacLeod to conduct the inquiry. Mr. MacLeod, a senior partner in Shepherd and Wedderburn WS, is a highly respected member of the legal profession in Scotland and an accredited specialist in employment law.
The formal terms of reference will be as follows:
The inquiry provides an opportunity to establish whether the complaints are justified and whether action such as re-running the appointment procedures is necessary. It is in the interests of all concerned that the matter should be resolved speedily but fairly and comprehensively and I have asked Mr. MacLeod to let me have his report by 31 January 1996.
Mr. Hutton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) which firms of consultants were employed by his Department in connection with the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance; [4587]
(2) what was the total amount paid by his Department to consultants in connection with the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance. [4582]
Mr. Kynoch
[holding answer 7 December 1995]: My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Social Security and the Secretary of State for Education and Employment are responsible for the jobseeker's allowance. No firms were employed and no moneys were paid by the Scottish Office.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is (a) the average period and (b) the statutory minimum period within which the Directors General of Fair Trading, for Electricity Supply and for Water Services (i) receive and (ii) make recommendations with respect to the referring of proposed mergers and takeovers in the relevant industries to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. [5057.]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
There are no statutory minimum periods for consideration of mergers laid down in the Fair Trading Act for considering mergers. The other matters
8 Dec 1995 : Column: 410
raised by the hon. Member are for the regulatory bodies concerned. I am arranging for the Director General of Fair Trading to send a reply to the hon. Member, in consultation with the Director General for Water Services and Director General for Electricity Supply as appropriate.
The decision to establish this inquiry follows a number of complaints made to the Local Government Staff Commission (Scotland), which concluded that it was not able to give the council a clean bill of health.
"To inquire into the question as to whether North Lanarkshire Council have, in relation to their appointment of Chief Officers, failed to comply with the duty imposed on them by section 7 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 to make appointments to paid office or employment on merit, and to report thereon."
Finance Bill
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the Finance Bill. [4963]
Mr. Jack: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) on 7 December 1995, column 332.
Self-Assessment
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department from the introduction of tax self-assessment. [2690]
Mr. Jack: Self-assessment is expected to produce net staff savings of £50 million per year as a result of streamlining existing procedures within the Inland Revenue. Services to taxpayers will be maintained.
Government Debt
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the annual interest bill paid on Government debt for each year since 1978. [4328]
Mr. Waldegrave: Central Government net debt interest payments, which score in GGE(X), are shown in the table.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1978-79 | 3,225 |
| 1979-80 | 4,453 |
| 1980-81 | 5,336 |
| 1981-82 | 6,172 |
| 1982-83 | 6,937 |
| 1983-84 | 8,391 |
| 1984-85 | 9,818 |
| 1985-86 | 10,389 |
| 1986-87 | 11,363 |
| 1987-88 | 11,977 |
| 1988-89 | 12,317 |
| 1989-90 | 12,195 |
| 1990-91 | 12,413 |
| 1991-92 | 11,500 |
| 1992-93 | 12,902 |
| 1993-94 | 14,845 |
| 1994-95 | 17,617 |
Coinage Changes
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will announce the results of the Royal Mint's consultations about changes to the United Kingdom coinage. [4567]
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Mr. Kenneth Clarke: In October 1994, the Royal Mint issued a consultation document seeking views about the possible introduction of a £2 coin for general circulation and on whether the existing 50p coin should be replaced by a smaller coin. In particular, the Royal Mint sought the views of those with special interests such as blind and elderly people and those who handle large amounts of coins and the manufacturers and users of coin-operated machines.
Responses to the Mint showed strong support for the introduction of a £2 coin and also a preference for a smaller 50p coin. I have carefully considered these responses and have now decided to introduce a new smaller 50p coin and a general circulation £2 coin. The new coins will be issued towards the end of 1997.
The new 50p coin will be smaller than the existing one but will be the same colour and shape. The £2 coin will be bicolour with a white centre and yellow outer ring. The precise specifications for the new coins will be issued early in the new year.
Montserrat
Sir Michael Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what request he has received for assistance because of renewed volcanic threats in Montserrat; and if he will make a statement. [4803]
Mr. Hanley: These threats caused an orderly evacuation of 5,000 people to prepared sites in the north of the island on 1 and 2 December. There is a continuous dialogue between Her Majesty's Government, the Governor and the Government of Montserrat. As a result, some of the associated costs are being met by the Overseas Development Administration within the £3 million committed to monitoring, relief and evacuation preparedness initiatives since this emergency began in July.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Marketing
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the amount of aid for marketing and processing by county in each of the last three years. [4742]
Mr. Baldry: The available information is in the table. No awards were made in 1994.
| 1993 £ | 1994 £ | 1995 £ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avon | 116,297 | -- | 330,819 |
| Bedfordshire | 755,554 | -- | 822,543 |
| Cambridgeshire | 410,255 | -- | 1,859,759 |
| Cheshire | 37,666 | -- | 128,177 |
| Cleveland | 298,296 | -- | -- |
| Cornwall | 187,200 | -- | 127,190 |
| Devon | 1,054,824 | -- | 71,225 |
| Dorset | -- | -- | 97,076 |
| County Durham | -- | -- | 144,000 |
| Essex | -- | -- | 82,166 |
| Gloucestershire | 425,848 | -- | 147,000 |
| Hampshire | -- | -- | 356,776 |
| Hereford and Worcester | 487,172 | -- | 237,570 |
| Humberside | 421,860 | -- | 368,317 |
| Kent | -- | -- | 660,616 |
| Lancashire | -- | -- | 1,421,069 |
| Leicestershire | 114,070 | -- | -- |
| Lincolnshire | 912,790 | -- | 1,688,300 |
| London | -- | -- | 1,518,781 |
| Manchester | 425,610 | -- | 76,712 |
| Merseyside | -- | -- | 49,356 |
| West Midlands | -- | -- | 522,900 |
| Norfolk | 105,814 | -- | 502,624 |
| Northamptonshire | 454,500 | -- | 94,500 |
| Northumberland | -- | -- | 258,900 |
| Nottinghamshire | -- | -- | 481,015 |
| Oxfordshire | 194,700 | -- | 272,550 |
| Shropshire | 163,746 | -- | 703,568 |
| Somerset | 1,099,529 | -- | 384,593 |
| Staffordshire | 45,989 | -- | 43,500 |
| Suffolk | 937,217 | -- | 2,633,497 |
| Surrey | -- | -- | 46,560 |
| East Sussex | 109,300 | -- | 450,000 |
| West Sussex | 142,500 | -- | -- |
| Tyne and Wear | 515,400 | -- | -- |
| Warwickshire | -- | -- | 40,500 |
| North Yorkshire | 398,586 | -- | 185,746 |
| South Yorkshire | 368,400 | -- | 39,000 |
| West Yorkshire | 202,500 | -- | 1,131,460 |
| Total | 10,385,623 | 0 | 17,978,634 |
8 Dec 1995 : Column: 412
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