| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Teachers' Superannuation Scheme
Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what plans she has to update the actuarial valuation of the teachers' superannuation scheme; [16348]
- (2) what estimates she has made of catch-up contributions required to cater for the review of the teachers' superannuation scheme actuarial valuation. [16317]
Mr. Robin Squire: The valuation of the teachers' superannuation scheme is carried out by the Government Actuary and it is for him to estimate the contribution required. My right hon. Friend is awaiting the Government Actuary's report on the valuation of the scheme as at 31 March 1991, which she expects early in 1996-97.
TREASURY
Tax Relief and Allowances
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) of 22 May 1995, Official Report, column 469 on revenue costs of tax reliefs and allowances, to give figures for 1996-97. [14401]
Mr. Jack: Estimated full-year revenue costs at 1996-97 income levels are in the table. Separate costings have been produced for allowances and reliefs. The combined cost of both allowances and reliefs would be greater than the sum of the individual figures.
| Group of taxpayers | Allowances | Reliefs |
|---|---|---|
| Top 1 per cent. | 0.4 | 0.8 |
| Top 5 per cent. | 2.2 | 2.1 |
| Top 10 per cent. | 4.3 | 3.0 |
| Top 25 per cent. | 8.6 | 4.4 |
| Top 50 per cent. | 15.4 | 6.2 |
| Top 70 per cent. | 20.8 | 7.0 |
| All taxpayers | 28.1 | 7.4 |
Exchange and Trading Schemes
Mr. Chris Davies:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many local exchange and trading schemes have been established in the United Kingdom; and how many members they have. [15429]
22 Feb 1996 : Column: 229
Mr. Jack:
Information on the number of local exchange and trading schemes which have been established in the United Kingdom, and the number of members they have, is not available.
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which (a) have a statutory base, (b) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (c) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntarily. [16175]
Mrs. Angela Knight:
There are no executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Treasury.
Mr. Matthew Banks:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy in respect of disposal of seized alcoholic drinks and tobacco products. [17172]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
Customs has carried out a review of its policy on the disposal of seized excise goods. The policy to destroy small seizures of alcohol, in an
22 Feb 1996 : Column: 230
economic and environmentally satisfactory manner, will continue. For individual large seizures of alcohol Customs will, wherever possible, continue to sell the goods back to the original UK manufacturer. The policy to destroy all tobacco seizures will continue. A copy of Customs' review report has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Cousins:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the factors included under the heading "other elements" contributing to ECGD exposure in Nigeria and Brazil as outlined on page 6 of the annual report of ECGD. [15174]
Mr. Oppenheim:
The other elements are made up entirely of claims paid not yet recovered.
Mr. Cousins:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each year since 1988 the total amount of claims paid by ECGD broken down to show those paid in respect (a) Iraq, (b) Jordan, (c) Nigeria, (d) Oman, (e) Indonesia, and (f) other countries in the Gulf Co-operation Council group. [15177]
Mr. Oppenheim:
The following is the information:
22 Feb 1996 : Column: 229
| Country | 1988-89 | 1989-90 | 1990-91 | 1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | (1)1995-96 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Iraq | 28 | 56 | 193 | 181 | 104 | 61 | 46 | 14 |
| Jordan | 1 | 28 | 49 | 50 | 46 | 41 | 36 | 31 |
| Nigeria | 291 | 242 | 157 | 131 | 98 | 48 | 28 | 5 |
| Oman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other countries in Gulf Co-operation Council group | 5 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
(1) To 31 January 1996.
22 Feb 1996 : Column: 229
Export Credits Guarantee Advisory Service
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent of 20 January 1994, Official Report, columns 748-50, on membership of the exports credits guarantee advisory service. [15623]
Mr. Nelson: There have been no further appointments to the Export Credits Guarantee Advisory Council since 20 January 1994. The following members, however, how now retired from service:
A. G. Gormly, Esq., CBE
C. Smallwood Esq.
Sir Robert Davidson
Sir Frank Lampl.
Iraq (Petroleum)
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the role played by Crescent International Petroleum in trading with Iraq. [15967]
Mr. Nelson:
No.
22 Feb 1996 : Column: 230
Mr. Rooney:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what were the main components of the pay off to the former chief executive of the Post Office; [15915]
(3) what were the principal factors in his decision to approve the early retirement of the chief executive of the Post Office. [15924]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 19 February 1996]: The details of the payments made to Mr. Cockburn, the former chief executive, on leaving the Post Office were set out in the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Eastham) on 5 December 1995, Official Report, column 162. The Post Office is responsible for the early retirement and voluntary severance schemes in place for its employees.
There are two principal pension schemes in operation within the Post Office: the Post Office staff superannuation scheme and the Post Office pension scheme. Mr. Cockburn is a member of the former. The provisions and administration of each are the responsibility of the Post Office and the trustees.
22 Feb 1996 : Column: 231
Mr. Cockburn left the Post Office board when his three year appointment to it expired in October 1995. Although offered renewal of his contract on existing terms, he decided after 34 years in the Post Office, 14 of them as a member of the Post Office board, to seek a new challenge in the private sector. I did not approve the early retirement of Mr. Cockburn; this was a matter for him and the Post Office under the terms of his original appointment to the board.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to ensure that no arms are exported to Nigeria from (a) the United Kingdom and (b) other EU states, under licences which were granted prior to the current embargo; and if he will make a statement. [16260]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 21 February 1996]: At the end of last year, the European Union decided to strengthen its measures against the military regime in response to adverse developments in Nigeria. Among these measures was strengthening of the existing restrictions on the sale of military equipment, though there was no agreement to extend these measures to existing contracts and therefore export licences which were issued against those contracts were not revoked.
So far as future exports are concerned, in common with arms embargoes against other countries, the embargo against Nigeria will include all military, security and paramilitary goods and arms, ammunition and related material which is listed in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, available from HMSO. The rules do not distinguish between items intended for the military and for the police, nor has any exception been allowed for international peacekeeping operations in which the Nigerians might be involved.
Mr. Nigel Evans:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many wind turbines were erected in (i) each year since 1993, (ii) 1994, (iii) 1995 and (iv) 1996 to date.[16417]
Mr. Page:
The number of wind turbines erected in the United Kingdom under the non-fossil fuel obligation--in England and Wales--the Northern Ireland non-fossil fuel obligation, NI-NFFO, and the Scottish renewables order, SRO, are as follows:
(2) what early retirement or voluntary severance schemes are currently in place for employees of the Post Office; [15916]
| Year | NFFO 1 and 2 | NI-NFFO 1 | SRO 1 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 13 | -- | -- | 13 |
| 1992 | 113 | -- | -- | 113 |
| 1993 | 247 | -- | -- | 247 |
| 1994 | 54 | 20 | -- | 74 |
| 1995 | 15 | 30 | 26 | 71 |
| 1996 | -- | -- | -- | 0 |
| Total | 442 | 50 | 26 | 518 |
There are also some small-scale wind turbines in domestic use, and some single large-scale wind turbines erected outside the non-fossil fuel obligation and other obligations arrangements. Data on their number could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
22 Feb 1996 : Column: 232
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |