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Local Government Finance
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his decision on the final caps for the two local authorities which challenged their cap; and if he will make a statement. [30445]
Mr. Gummer: I have laid before the House a draft order, under section 57 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, setting out our decisions on the final caps for Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire county councils.
We have considered very carefully all the available relevant information, including the case made by the authorities in support of a higher cap, before taking our decisions. We have decided to confirm the caps proposed for both authorities.
The caps are, in our view, reasonable, appropriate and achievable in all the circumstances of the authorities concerned. These decisions will reduce public expenditure, and the burden on council taxpayers in the
20 May 1996 : Column: 48
areas concerned, by £13 million in 1996-97. This will result in a council tax reduction, at band D of £25.26 in Cambridgeshire and £34.89 in Oxfordshire.
However, I have concluded that Oxfordshire has certain pressures on its budget which may lead to problems in the short term. I have therefore invited Oxfordshire to consider making an application for a chaptalisation direction and supplementary credit approval. This would enable Oxfordshire to capitalise certain costs, thereby releasing resources to support is revenue expenditure.
Mr. Jamieson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 29 April, Official Report, column 363, (1) if his Department is looking at ways of making the declaration of interest of Members of his Department's regional industrial development boards and external advisers more transparent to the public; what further measures his Department is proposing to take in this area; and if he will make a statement; [28301]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answers 7 May 1996]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 15 May 1996, Official Report, column 494.
Mr. Etherington:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the average earnings in 1995 of (a) faceworkers, (b) other underground workers and (c) surface workers in the deep-mined coal sector. [29611]
Mrs. Angela Knight:
I have been asked to reply.
Information is not available for the specific occupations requested. Information regarding the mining industry as a whole and broader occupational groups can be found in the new earnings survey, part A, a copy of which is available in the House Library.
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Mr. Galloway:
To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will list the cost to public funds of (a) each meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee in financial year 1995-96 and (b) each meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee in each year since 1992. [29509]
Mr. Beith:
The House of Commons Commission is not in a position to provide details of the total cost to public funds of meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee, but the cost to parliamentary funds of individual meetings in Scotland for the financial year 1995-96 are set out in the table. They have been produced by a manual/clerical check as the information is not readily available in the format requested.
(2) if he will place the register of personal financial interests of members of his Department's regional industrial development boards and external advisers in the Library. [28300]
| Location | Date | House direct costs |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | 23 October 1995 | 2,685 |
| Edinburgh | 11 December 1995 | 8,023 |
| Glasgow | 18 December 1995 | 4,841 |
| Edinburgh | 15 January 1996 | 11,005 |
| Stirling | 29 January 1996 | 8,056 |
| Inverness | 5 February 1996 | 7,457 |
| Aberdeen | 19 February 1996 | 6,852 |
| Kilmarnock | 4 March 1996 | 4,421 |
| Glasgow | 15 March 1996 | 500 |
These will not be the final costs for meetings in 1995-96 as there are still invoices and claims outstanding. Excluded from these figures are staff overtime and Members' travel.
It is not possible to provide details of costs for each meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee since 1992. This can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
TREASURY
Average Incomes
Mr. Hall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average earned income in the most recent year for which information is available of (a) the 5 per centile and (b) the 95 per centile of taxpayers. [29227]
Mr. Jack: Based on the estimated distribution of earned income for income taxpayers in 1996-97, the 5th percentile is about £4,150 and the 95th percentile is about £35,000.
Child Tax Allowances and Benefits
Sir David Knox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures setting out the treatment for tax and benefit purposes of children aged 16 to 18 years and still in full-time education, in each of the member states of the EU, showing in each case the amounts allowable in (a) child benefit, (b) child tax allowances and (c) educational maintenance allowances in (i) national currencies, (ii) euros and (iii) as percentages of average production worker earnings. [29583]
20 May 1996 : Column: 50
Mr. Jack: Available figures for child benefit and child tax allowance are given in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development publication "The Tax/Benefit position of Production Workers" which is available in the House of Commons Library.
Performance Bonds
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his Department's policy on the use of performance bonds; in what circumstances they are used; what was the total sum paid by bond in each of the last five years; and if his Department requires bonds from businesses with fewer than (a) 100, (b) 50 and (c) 20 employees. [29428]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The Treasury has had no reason to use performance bonds in the last five years. The policy for such bonds is covered by the central unit on procurement's guidance note No. 48 "Bonds and Guarantees", copies of which are available in the Libraries of both Houses.
European Loan Insurance Schemes
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the European loan guarantee scheme to begin in the United Kingdom; what will be the maximum size of loans; which companies will qualify; who will pay the premium for the guaranteed support; and if companies who receive loan guarantees under the small firms loan guarantee scheme will be eligible to apply. [29411]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The Commission recently published a proposal for a European loan insurance scheme for employment--ELISE. Detailed discussions with member states on its working have not yet begun and there are a number of issues to be resolved before the Council of Ministers can consider whether or not to adopt the proposal. It is therefore not possible to give information about a possible start date in the United Kingdom. The maximum size of loans covered is not mentioned in the proposal.
As proposed, ELISE would cover 50 per cent. of loans from private sector institutions, or up to 75 per cent. where the loan is transnational. Small and medium enterprises with plans to create permanent jobs with the help of loans from private sector institutions would be eligible to apply for the guarantee. It is anticipated that the scheme would focus particularly on SMEs with fewer than 50 employees. More detailed eligibility criteria are set out in Commission recommendation C (96) 261 final. Under the terms of the proposal, the premium for the guarantee would be met from the Community budget.
If the scheme were to be adopted, the Government would consider whether firms who had received loan guarantees under the small firms loan guarantees scheme would be eligible to apply for further assistance under ELISE.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the outcome of discussions between his Department and the European Commission regarding the European loan insurance scheme for employment. [29413]
Mrs. Knight:
The proposal has only just been published. Therefore, as yet there has been no discussions either with individual member states, in a Council working group, nor with the Commission.
20 May 1996 : Column: 51
Mr. Key:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who owns the freehold of the Salisbury tax office. [29922]
Mr. Jack:
The freehold of Alexandra house, which accommodates Salisbury tax office, is owned by the Crown and is on the estate of the Court Service, western circuit.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed in the VAT sub-office in Salisbury; and what is the total floor area of the premises. [29917]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
Currently, there are eight people working in Salisbury VAT sub-office. The total floor area of the premises is 156.9 sq m.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the location of, and number of people employed by, the Inland Revenue in respect of Salisbury taxpayers, in (a) hard collection, (b) soft collection and (c) the compliance section. [29919]
Mr. Jack:
Details of staff employed by the Inland Revenue on compliance and collection work in respect of taxpayers dealt with by the Salisbury tax office are as follows:
(a) Hard collection--where some action required to collect tax in addition to the issue of demand notes--8 people employed at Swindon collection office
(b) Soft collection--tax paid following issue of demand notes--2-3 people employed at Accounts Office in Shipley
(c) Compliance--8 people employed in Salisbury tax office; 2 people employed in Swindon collection office
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