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Compliance Cost Assessments
Ms Ruddock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what compliance cost assessment has been produced for the White Paper, "Better Accounting for the Taxpayer's Money"; if it is publicly available; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [25269]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: No compliance cost assessment has been produced for the White Paper, "Better Accounting for the Taxpayer's Money".
Labour Statistics
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (i) male and (ii) female employees in the west midlands were in (a) full-time, (b) part-time, (c) temporary and (d) permanent employment in each year since 1979. [24999]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The information requested can be obtained via the Quantime Labour Force Survey service available in the Library.
Manufacturing Industry
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the west midlands were employed in manufacturing industry in each year since 1979; and for each year what was the percentage change over the previous year. [25176]
Mrs. Angela Knight: Information showing the number of jobs is provided in the table. Comparable information prior to 1981 is not available.
| Year | Level (thousands) | Year-on year (per cent.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 716 | -6 |
| 1982 | 672 | -3 |
| 1983 | 651 | -1 |
| 1984 | 646 | -1 |
| 1985 | 635 | -2 |
| 1986 | 614 | -3 |
| 1987 | 614 | -3 |
| 1988 | 626 | 2 |
| 1989 | 634 | 1 |
| 1990 | 618 | -3 |
| 1991 | 559 | -10 |
| 1992 | 505 | -10 |
| 1993 | 500 | 2 |
| 1994 | 211 | 2 |
| 1995 | 515 | 1 |
(1) Unadjusted.Source
ONS.
Company Directors
Mr. Pearson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers are company directors according to information supplied on form X of the Inland Revenue survey of personal incomes; and what is the average income from dividends from shares in United Kingdom companies and unit trusts of those taxpayers who are directors. [24929]
16 Apr 1996 : Column: 370
Mr. Jack: Based on the survey of personal incomes for 1993-94, the number of company directors liable to income tax is 550,000. Their average income from dividends from shares in UK companies and unit trusts in around £4,700.
Convergence Programme
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to update the convergence programme produced by the United Kingdom in March 1995. [25539]
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: An updated convergence programme is today being submitted to the European Commission. Copies of the programme are being placed in the Libraries of the House.
Investment Tax Allowance
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the annual cost to the Exchequer of introducing an investment tax allowance of £200,000 per annum for companies. [22828]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 26 March 1996]: A 100 per cent. first-year allowance of £200,000 for investment in plant and machinery by companies and unincorporated businesses, introduced from December 1996, has an estimated small initial cost of about £100 million in 1997-98 and would then cost approximately £1.3 billion in 1998-99. The cost would decline subsequently. For companies in groups, it is assumed that the limit is applied to the whole group and not each separate company.
Kenya
Sir Thomas Arnold: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make statement about the proposed International Monetary Fund--enhanced structural adjustment facility for Kenya. [23150]
Mr. Kenneth Clarke [holding answer 1 April 1996]: Last month, the Government of Kenya launched a framework for the economic reform agenda for the next three years on which they have worked with the IMF and World bank. A programme under the IMF's enhanced structural adjustment facility, designed to support these reform efforts, is expected to be considered by the IMF's executive board later this month.
Vocational Education Courses
Mr. Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to (a) cease and (b) reduce the tax relief available for certain vocational education courses. [24146]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 1 April 1996]: The Finance Bill being considered by Parliament extends vocational training relief so that tax relief may be given on fees paid for a course which is full time, lasts more than four weeks but less than a year and is aimed at learning or practising knowledge or skills for gainful employment. This tax relief is available to trainees aged 30 or over. We have no plans to change other forms of tax relief for vocational education courses.
16 Apr 1996 : Column: 371
Government Spending
Mr. Walden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of Government spending was spent in the years 1988 and 1995 on (a) defence, (b) education and (c) mortgage tax relief. [24015]
Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 1 April 1996]: Figures for public expenditure on defence, education and mortgage tax relief expressed as a percentage of general Government expenditure are as follows:
| 1988-89 Outturn | 1995-96 Estimated outturn | |
|---|---|---|
| Per cent. | Per cent. | |
| Defence | 10.7 | 7.0 |
| Education | 12.3 | 11.9 |
| Mortgage tax relief paid to non-taxpayers | 0.1 | 0.1 |
Total mortgage tax relief amounted to £5.4 billion in 1988-89 and £2.7 billion in 1995-96, of which £260 million in 1988-89 and £180 million in 1995-96 paid to non-taxpayers is classified as public expenditure.
No. 11 Downing Street
Mr. Hall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the non-official or party receptions and functions which have been held at No. 11 Downing street since November 1990; [24268]
- (2) if he will list all (a) charity, (b) voluntary organisations, (c) non-official and (d) party receptions and functions which have been held at No. 11 Downing street since November 1990; [24270]
(3) on which occasions he has used No. 11 Downing street for the purpose of raising funds for the Conservative party since November 1990. [24269]
Mr. Kenneth Clarke [holding answer 2 April 1996]: No. 11 Downing street is the home of my wife and I in London and I pay tax on it as a benefit in kind. I am not accountable to Parliament for private functions held there on which no public funds are expended.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Violent Crime
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom citizens were victims of violent crime abroad in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [24597]
Mr. Hanley: The numbers of British citizens reported murdered, raped, assaulted or violently robbed abroad in each of the last five years are as follows:
1991: 145
1992: 196
1993: 231
1994: 257
1995: 174
16 Apr 1996 : Column: 372
Scott Report
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department first evaluated the information on the Iraqi nuclear programme cited on pages 608 and 609 of the Scott report. [24832]
Mr. Hanley: During February 1989.
Export Bans
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occasions and the circumstances of all European Commission bans upon the export of a product by an individual member state; and if he will indicate how many of these occasions were against the wishes of the member state. [24578]
Mr. David Davis: The information requested is not held centrally. There are a number of bans on the export of certain products from certain member states. Examples are the current ban on live cattle and certain products derived from cattle in the UK, and a ban on pigs for slaughter from certain parts of Germany affected by classical swine fever.
Land Mines
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with Britain's allies concerning banning the manufacture, supply and export of land mines. [25179]
Mr. Hanley: In preparation for the final session of the UN weaponry convention review conference in Geneva on 22 April to 3 May, we have recently discussed within the western group the questions on which agreement was not possible at the first session of the review conference in September-October 1995. Appropriate NATO and EU experts' groups have also discussed preparations for the conference.
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