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Taxation
Mr. Khabra: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of national income is currently taken in taxation; and what was the figure in 1979. [33361]
Mr. Waldegrave: The Budget estimate of total taxes and national insurance contributions as a percentage of gross domestic product, GDP, in 1995-96 was 36 per cent. In 1979-80, the comparable figure was 35½ per cent. An outturn estimate for 1995-96 is not yet available.
Since 1979, public sector borrowing has averaged 2½ per cent. of GDP. Under the last Labour Government, public sector borrowing averaged nearly 7 per cent. of GDP. If Labour had kept borrowing down to the same level that this Government have achieved, taxes would have been higher under Labour by an average of nearly 3 per cent. of GDP.
Population Statistics
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the population were men under the age of 25 years in each of the last 20 years for which figures are available. [33185]
Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 18 June 1996]: The information is given in the table.
| Mid-year | Thousands | As percentage of total population |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 9,451.5 | 19.1 |
| 1975 | 9,404.9 | 19.0 |
| 1976 | 9,358.3 | 18.9 |
| 1977 | 9,300.7 | 18.8 |
| 1978 | 9,245.8 | 18.7 |
| 1979 | 9,225.3 | 18.6 |
| 1980 | 9,216.0 | 18.6 |
| 1981 | 9,191.4 | 18.5 |
| 1982 | 9,145.8 | 18.4 |
| 1983 | 9,111.5 | 18.3 |
| 1984 | 9,071.7 | 18.2 |
| 1985 | 9,044.8 | 18.1 |
| 1986 | 8,999.7 | 17.9 |
| 1987 | 8,943.4 | 17.8 |
| 1988 | 8,881.2 | 17.6 |
| 1989 | 8,807.1 | 17.4 |
| 1990 | 8,748.6 | 17.2 |
| 1991 | 8,701.5 | 17.0 |
| 1992 | 8,636.0 | 16.8 |
| 1993 | 8,575.6 | 16.7 |
| 1994 | 8,521.6 | 16.5 |
Research and Economic Performance
Mr. Ingram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the report on the "Relationship between Publicly Funded Basic Research and Economic Performance" submitted to his Department by the science policy research unit at the university of Sussex. [33380]
19 Jun 1996 : Column: 464
Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 18 June 1996]: The Treasury intends to publish this report shortly. I shall arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Millennium Commissioners
Mrs. Clywd: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) on which dates, to which location, for what purpose and at what cost, the millennium commissioners have visited areas of the United Kingdom outside London; [32432]
- (2) on which dates, to which location, for what purpose and at what cost, the millennium commissioners have visited Wales; [32431]
(3) on which dates, to which location, for what purpose and at what cost, the millennium commissioners have visited countries outside the United Kingdom. [32433]
Mrs. Virgina Bottomley: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I shall reply to the hon. Member in my capacity as chairman of the commission and place copies of my reply in the Library of the House.
British Library
Mr. Hargreaves: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what she estimates to be the final cost of the new British library building at St. Pancras. [33972]
Mrs. Virgina Bottomley: The final outturn of the project will not be known until all final accounts have been settled. Our estimates is that this will be at least a year after practical completion, which is targeted for December 1996. However, the latest estimate of the outturn for the project is £511.1 million, which represents a 3 per cent. increase over the present ceiling of £496 million. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has agreed an increase to the project ceiling to reflect this.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Chessington Computer Centre
Mr. Butler: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make an announcement on the progress of the sale of Chessington computer centre. [33837]
Mr. Freeman: I informed the House on 15 May of the identity of the three organisations that had been invited to submit final offers for Chessington computer centre. Final offers were received on 12 June. I have now considered these offers, and have selected a partnership comprising the Chessington management and employee buy-out team, Integris UK and financial backers as the preferred bidder. Detailed discussions with the partnership will now commence with the intention of reaching final agreement for an early completion of the sale of the business.
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Butler: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about the arrangements for printing statutory instruments. [33838]
19 Jun 1996 : Column: 465
Mr. Freeman: Some of the printing of statutory instruments has been contracted out by HMSO for over 30 years as the most cost-effective way of producing them. A careful examination has recently been made of the legislation which refers to HMSO and the Queen's printer. This has revealed that while the Queen's printer can contract out the printing of statutes, this may not be the case for statutory instruments. The Queen's printer is currently also the controller of HMSO. After privatisation, the Queen's printer and controller will remain in the public sector responsible for residual HMSO.
HMSO's records show, for as far back as they are available, that statutory instruments were being printed by commercial contractors in January 1965. It is likely that the practice is somewhat older. Currently, around half the printing work for statutory instruments is contracted out at an annual cost of some £200,000. In order to put the validity of this practice in relation to statutory instruments beyond doubt, the Government intend to legislate before the summer recess. The legislation will be retrospective in effect in order to cover existing statutory instruments printed for, rather than by, HMSO.
The privatisation process, subject to meeting the safeguards required by Parliament, will continue as planned with completion during the summer and on the basis that the Queen's Printer would be able to print all statutory instruments. Meanwhile, HMSO will enter into no more external printing contracts for statutory instruments.
Mr. French:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement regarding the ethical issues relating to information superhighways. [33013]
Mr. Freeman:
The development of information superhighways and the growth of multimedia applications raise a number of issues which are relevant to the responsibilities of several Government Departments and other bodies. The CCTA in particular has been working on research which has made an important contribution to consideration within Government. Since questions of information superhighways regulation bear particularly strongly upon the responsibilities of the Department of Trade and Industry, I have agreed with my hon. Friend the Minister for Science and Technology that his Department will take the lead in any Government statements in this area. On 21 May 1996, my hon. Friend made a speech to the Internet Service Providers Association setting out the Government's views on these matters. A copy of the speech has been placed in the House Library.
Mr. Bernard Jenkin:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures he is proposing at the EU intergovernmental conference to promote deregulation. [32621]
Mr. Freeman:
Making less, but better EC legislation remains a priority for the Government. As we made clear in the IGC White Paper, we will continue our efforts to achieve this both inside and outside the IGC.
19 Jun 1996 : Column: 466
Mr. Allen:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the rules or guidance which govern the relationship between Secretaries of State and junior Ministers. [33111]
Mr. Freeman:
"Questions of Procedure for Ministers" describes the roles of Ministers in charge of Departments and Ministers outside the Cabinet. The distribution of ministerial responsibilities is published in the "List of Ministerial Responsibilities".
Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to the answer of 16 February 1995, Official Report, column 805, what has been the cost of maintenance, including figures for fees and VAT payments, of Century house since 16 February 1995; and what plans there are for the building. [33383]
Mr. Freeman:
Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to Property Advisers to the Civil Estate, under its chief executive, Mr. Neil Borrett. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.
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