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Departmental Fraud
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the Treasury report on departmental fraud in all Government Departments for 1995-96; and if he will make a statement. [6033]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: Copies of the latest "Dear Accounting Officer" letter and accompanying analysis, which contain information on frauds reported by Departments for the financial year 194-95, were placed in the Library of the Houses on 11 December 1995. The documents are also available to the public.
Draft EC Budget
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the organisations receiving subsidies for advancing the idea of Europe cited in budget item A-304 in the EC 1996 draft budget indicating the amounts they receive and the specific purpose behind the provision of funds. [5901]
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Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: The criteria for the types of project which will be eligible for funding from this budget line next year are set out in the commentary appended to line A-304 of the draft general budget of the European Communities, a copy of which is in the Library. Precisely how these funds are spent is a matter for the European Commission, to which questions about the detail of expenditure in 1996 and previous years should be addressed.
European Community Directives
Mr. Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 21 November, Official Report, column 454, if he will make it his policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulation implementing European directives. [5074]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 11 December 1995]: It is the policy in the Departments of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ensure that we do not "gold-plate" European directives by the addition of unnecessary burdens when implementing them in the United Kingdom. We will take every opportunity to look at existing legislation in the light of this policy.
Inland Revenue (Referred Cases)
Ms Harman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions in each year since 1965, High Court judges have referred details of a case to the Inland Revenue. [5549]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 13 December 1995]: The Inland Revenue does not maintain such records.
Air Quality Monitoring
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the additional resources to be made available to local authorities to implement air quality monitoring commitments made in the Environment Act 1995 following his 1995 Budget statement. [4943]
Mr. Clappison: I have been asked to reply.
Phased implementations of local authorities' new duties in respect of air quality under the Environment Act 1995 will begin next year. The first phase will involve a representative number of local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales. Criteria for selecting the authorities are being prepared by the local authority air quality management working group of central and local government officials set up by the Department of the Environment to assist with implementation of part IV of the Act. We will shortly announce the first phase authorities and will make funds available to cover necessary increased expenditure.
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to publish the recent efficiency scrutiny on the TEC contract and management fee; and if she will make a statement. [6727]
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Mr. Paice: A copy of the report of the scrutiny team has been place in the Library.
Although it is too early to comment on the detail of the report, I am very eager to reduce administrative burdens on TECs where these are shown to be unnecessary and the Department will be looking at its recommendations very carefully.
Mr. Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress Aztec and Solotec are making in meeting the criteria for the award of a three-year licence. [6726]
Mr. Paice:
I am pleased to announce the award of three-year licences to Aztec and the South London training and enterprise council, which have now completed the process of meeting the rigorous standards we set.
Mr. John Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has for publishing the White Paper on the instruments adopted at the 81st session of the international labour conference 1994. [6652]
Mrs. Gillian Shephard:
I have today published the White Paper entitled "International Labour Conference."
Mr. Neil Hamilton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have been assisted under the access to work programme; and if she will make a statement. [6932]
Mrs. Gillian Shephard:
In 1994-95, the first year of operation, over 10,300 people were assisted under the access to work programme. In 1995-96, it is estimated that some 10,000 people have already received support.
On present trends, planned provision for the programme in 1995-96--£13.4 million--will be exceeded to a significant extent. While I have been able to allocate additional funds to meet the demands made so far on the programme this year, it is necessary to implement the priority within the programme for unemployed people in order to keep expenditure within the resources available.
I am therefore announcing that, with effect from 18 December, funding will be targeted on meeting existing commitments; to applications to renew arrangements which fully satisfy the programme's present rules and criteria and which would otherwise lapse; and to people with disabilities who have been unemployed for at least four weeks. The Government believe that this is the most equitable way of allocating the limited resources available.
The Government recognise the importance of the programme to people with disabilities and to employers. The planned provision for the programme next year has therefore been maintained. Before reaching decisions on 1996-97, the Govnerment will publish the research they have commissioned on the first year, and enter into discussions with the organisations principally concerned on the operation of the programme next year.
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Mr. Betts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of bills to her Department were paid in accordance with agreed contractual conditions or, where no such contractual conditions existed, within 30 days of receiving goods and services or the presentation of a valid invoice in the last year for which figures are available. [5706]
Mr. Robin Squire:
A total of 6,419 invoices were sampled in four separate prompt payment exercises during 1994-95. The results showed that 6,387 of these invoices were paid within 30 days--95 per cent of the sample.
Mr. Blunkett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many responses she has received to the consultation paper on self-government for voluntary-aided schools from (a) voluntary-aided schools, (b) grant-aided maintained former voluntary-aided schools, (c) local authority associations, (d) local education authorities and (e) Church bodies. [5777]
Mrs. Gillan:
The information requested is set out in the following table:
| Body | Number of responses |
|---|---|
| (a) Voluntary aided schools | 1,629 |
| (b) Former voluntary grant-maintained schools(2) | 16 |
| (c) Local authority associations(3) | 4 |
| (d) Local education authorities | 74 |
| (e) Church Bodies(4) | 68 |
(2) Includes former voluntary-controlled, as well as former
voluntary-aided, GM schools.
(3) Includes national and local associations.
(4) Includes national religious bodies and Church of England and
Roman Catholic diocesan boards.
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many responses she has received in respect of the consultation paper on self-government for voluntary-aided schools; how many of them were in favour of each of the options listed in the paper; and how many of them were in favour of the proposals. [5780]
Mrs. Gillan: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received almost 2,000 responses to the Department's consultation paper on self-government for voluntary-aided schools. We are currently completing the analysis of these responses. A summary will be made available in due course, and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Grant-maintained Schools
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many grant-maintained schools were formerly (a) voluntary-aided schools (b) voluntary-aided Church schools; and in each case what proportion of the total number of voluntary-aided schools this represents. [5781]
Mrs. Gillan: Some 231 grant-maintained schools were formerly voluntary aided, and 204 of these were voluntary-aided Church schools. This means that some
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6 per cent. of all existing and former voluntary-aided schools and 5 per cent. of existing and former voluntary-aided Church schools have transferred to the grant maintained sector.
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