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TREASURY

Financial Incentives (Environmental Practice)

Ms Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to introduce financial incentives for sustainable environmental practice by businesses; and if he will make a statement. [34746]

Mr. Jack: Economic instruments, including tax measures, are pursued where they are justified and administratively feasible. Proposals for financial incentives for sustainable environmental practice by businesses are examined on a case-by-case basis. The introduction of the landfill tax starting in October is a clear demonstration of that.

"Europe's Finances"

Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that, in future editions of "Europe's Finances", a statement of Europe's unfunded pension liabilities, is included together with a statement as to the possible future impact of such liabilities on the United Kingdom economy. [36355]

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: No, since the annual White Paper deals solely with European Community finances and the Community budget has no liability for pension costs other than in respect of the employees of the Community institutions.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the success of the private finance initiative. [36836]

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Mr. Jack: I announced on 3 April that £4.8 billion of private finance deals had been agreed in the financial year 1995-96, with £300 million of deals at preferred bidder stage and £330 million due to be agreed. The current total of agreed private finance deals has now risen to £5.5 billion, including projects such as the development of the Department of Social Security's Newcastle estate at Longbenton, two prison projects at Bridgend and Fazakerley and benefits payments automation through the Post Office. These figures indicate that the Government are well on the way to reaching their target of agreeing £14 billion of deals by the end of 1998-99.

Mr. Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much private capital was invested through the PFI in public projects in each financial year up to 1995-96; and what are his current forecasts for (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98 and (c) 1998-99. [36590]

Mr. Jack: Estimated levels of private sector capital spending in public projects via the private finance initiative were, in 1993-94, 1994-95 and 1995-96, £0.3 billion, £0.3 billion and £0.6 billion respectively. The projections for 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 are £1.9 billion, £2.6 billion and £2.8 billion respectively. Further details about the private finance initiative and capital spending can be found in tables 6.4 and 6.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1996-97, published on 28 November 1995.

Exchange and Interest Rates

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what have been the changes in (a) real exchange rates relative to those of other EU countries and (b) real interest rates in each quarter since the first quarter of 1993. [37489]

Mrs. Angela Knight: Data on real effective exchange rates for EU countries can be found in Main Economic Indicators, which is published monthly by the OECD. In the June 1996 edition, the real exchange rate data are shown in table 30. Data on short-term nominal interest rates and inflation in the UK can be found in Economic Trends.

Balance of Trade

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the trends in the balance of trade in goods in (a) the last three months and (b) the equivalent period in 1995. [37485]

Mrs. Angela Knight: The deficit on trade in goods was erratically low early last year. Despite fluctuations, there has been no obvious trend in the deficit over the past five years. In 1994 and 1995 the deficit on trade in goods was more than offset by surpluses on trade in services and overseas investment income.

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the change in the United Kingdom balance of trade in goods for each year since 1992; and what factors underline this trend. [37490]

Mrs. Knight: In 1993, the trade deficit on goods widened by £0.4 billion compared with 1992. It then narrowed by £2.6 billion in 1994 and widened by £0.8 billion in 1995. In 1995, the trade deficit on goods was £1.5 billion less than it was in 1992. Underpinning

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this improvement between 1992 and 1995, the volume of exported goods has increased by 24 per cent. while the volume of imported goods was increased by 15 per cent.

Internet

Mr. Rowe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to ensure that major publications from his Department are accompanied by a simultaneous electronic release of the text on the Internet. [37229]

Mrs. Angela Knight: The Treasury aims to release all its major publications on the Internet either at the same time as the hard copy publication or as soon as possible thereafter. Simultaneous release is not always possible for some material because of technical or logistical considerations.

Publications which we aim to release at the same time as the hard copy include: the documentation for the Chancellor's Budget; the summer economic forecast; the minutes of the Chancellor's monthly monetary meetings with the Governor of the Bank of England; news releases, such as announcements of interest rate changes; certain consultation papers; and keynote speeches.

Migration

Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the total numbers of people (a) immigrating to the United Kingdom and (b) emigrating from the United Kingdom, in the last five years for which figures are available. [37429]

Mrs. Angela Knight: The information is shown in the table.

Migration estimates for the United Kingdom (Thousands of migrants)

Years	Inflow to UK	Outflow from UK
1990	340.2	252.0
1991	337.0	263.7
1992	286.6	251.5
1993	272.2	236.8
1994	321.4	213.0

The estimates in the table are derived from data on migration intentions obtained from the international passenger survey, from information on migration to and from the Irish Republic obtained from the national health service central register and the Irish labour force survey, and from data on short-term visitors who were granted extension of stay obtained from the Home Office.

Perinatal Mortality

Ms Harman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current perinatal mortality rate broken down by mother's place of birth. [37134]

Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 12 July 1996]: The latest available information is shown in the table.

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Perinatal mortality rate by mother's country of birth, England and Wales 1994

Country of birth	Perinatal rate(1)
All	8.9
United Kingdom	8.6
Irish Republic	11.2
Rest of European Union	8.3
Australia, Canada, New Zealand	6.4
New Commonwealth including:	12.6
Bangladesh	10.8
India	9.3
Pakistan	15.0
East Africa	10.9
Caribbean	17.4
Other(2)	9.4

(1) Perinatal deaths per 1,000 live and stillbirths.

(2) Includes case where no country of birth was stated.

Mr. F. G. Higgins

Mr. Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will refund the VAT owed, together with interest, to Mr. F. G. Higgins of Lyndhurst, 50 Borough road, Paignton; and what factors have led to the delay. [36955]

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory [holding answer 15 July 1996]: Customs and Excise are not aware of VAT owed to Mr. Higgins. In fact, a long-outstanding debt to Customs and Excise, based on VAT returns completed by Mr. Higgins, is currently being recovered through the courts.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Hawk Aircraft

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many Hawk aircraft have been exported to Indonesia so far this year. [35426]

Mr. Oppenheim: Eight.

Business Grants

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the total value of grants awarded by his Department to businesses in (a) Crewe and Nantwich and (b) Cheshire, for each of the last five years. [36453]

Mr. Oppenheim: The following is the information:

Year	Crewe and Nantwich	Cheshire
1991-92	90,109	7,551,997
1992-93	47,320	6,059,063
1993-94	90,000	4,777,740
1994-95	105,000	10,503,421
1995-96	57,676	3,305,498

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