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Unexploded Bombs (London)
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information his Department (a) holds and (b) has assessed in respect of unexploded bombs in London; how many unexploded bombs are estimated to exist in each London authority area; how many bombs are officially listed; what is the estimated risk associated with these; what contact his Department has had with planners, surveyors or their representative groups in this matter; and what action is planned to deal with the situation. [40564]
Sir Paul Beresford: There is nothing I can add to the answer already given today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, who has undertaken to write to the hon. Member.
Wildlife Law (Guide)
Mr. Sykes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the practitioner's guide to wildlife law. [40945]
Mr. Clappison: Last November, I launched the partnership for action against wildlife crime, and announced that the Department would make funds available to finance a guide to wildlife law. Through the launch of the partnership, we have established good links between enforcement organisations, identified problems hampering enforcement, and sought ways to overcome them. One problem has been the lack of a comprehensive source of information about the various pieces of legislation protecting wildlife.
Tomorrow, the Secretary of State for the Environment will announce the publication of the guide "Wildlife Crime--a Guide to Wildlife Law Enforcement in the UK" at a major seminar on combating environmental crime, to be held at the QEII conference centre in London. A copy of the guide will be placed in the Library of the House.
The seminar will explore the scope for improving the enforcement of trade measures contained in key international environmental agreements to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of tackling the illegal trade in endangered species, ozone-depleting substances and hazardous waste, and whether lessons learnt in one area can be applied in another.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government intend to publish their progress report on the Rural White Paper, "Rural England: A Nation Committed to a Living Countryside". [41082]
Mr. Gummer:
My right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I intend to publish the progress report "Rural England 1996" on 24 October 1996. This reports on progress in implementing the commitments made in "Rural England", which we published in October 1995.
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Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 15 October. [38691]
Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 15 October. [38692]
The Prime Minister: This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today.
Ombudsman
Sir Michael Shersby: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the offices of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioner for England, for Scotland and for Wales. [40949]
The Prime Minister: In accordance with section 1(3) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 and schedule 1 to the Health Service Commissioners Act 1993, Sir William Reid will be retiring from these offices on 2 January 1997.
Her Majesty has been pleased to approve the appointment of Mr. Michael Sydney Buckley as Sir William's successor as Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioner for England, for Scotland and for Wales, with effect from 3 January 1997.
I am sure all Members of the House would wish me to express their gratitude and admiration for the very able and thorough manner in which Sir William Reid has fulfilled these duties over the last seven years. He has made an outstanding contribution to our public life.
Mr. Michael Brown:
To ask the Prime Minister what changes are planned to be made to the memorandum of understanding of 5 February 1993 under which the Queen and the Prince of Wales pay income, capital gains and inheritance tax on a voluntary basis, to take account of the introduction of the new system of self assessment for income tax and capital gains tax. [40950]
The Prime Minister:
Yes, a change is required to reflect the new tax payment dates under self assessment. The memorandum of understanding has been amended, and I am placing a copy of the amendment in the Library.
The memorandum of understanding provided that income tax and capital gains tax would be payable on 1 December following the end of the tax year. However, under self-assessment, 1 December will no longer be a tax payment date, and instead income tax will be payable on 31 January and 31 July and capital gains tax on 31 January. The memorandum of understanding has therefore been amended to make income tax and capital gains tax for 1996-97--the transitional year--payable on 31 January 1998; and income tax and capital
15 Oct 1996 : Column: 848
gains tax for 1997-98 and subsequent years will be payable on 31 January and 31 July in accordance with the normal rules of self assessment.
These new arrangements mean tax will be paid under the memorandum of understanding several months earlier on average than at present.
Changes have also been made to the provisions relating to payments on account, and interest on tax underpaid or overpaid, to bring them into line with the new self assessment rules.
Mr. Nigel Evans:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many (i) early retirement and (ii) voluntary severance packages were given to civil servants by grade in each Government Department in 1995-96. [40121]
Mr. Freeman:
I regret that the information requested is available only at disproportionate cost. However, the table provides details of the number of early retirements and early severances in 1995-96 by main Department.
| Department | Number of early retirements | Number of early severances |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | 280 | 228 |
| Crown Prosecution Service | 53 | 10 |
| Customs and Excise | 588 | 335 |
| Defence | 2,285 | 2,400 |
| Education and Employment | 450 | 627 |
| Environment (including Property Holdings) | 180 | 102 |
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 98 | 15 |
| Overseas Development Administration | 47 | 92 |
| Health | 284 | 355 |
| Her Majesty's Prison Service | 51 | 25 |
| Home Office | 103 | 22 |
| Inland Revenue | 1,090 | 466 |
| Lord Chancellor's Department | 84 | 28 |
| National Savings | 316 | 307 |
| Office for National Statistics | 55 | 31 |
| Ordnance Survey | 52 | 33 |
| PSA Services | 191 | 231 |
| Scottish Office | 144 | 105 |
| Scottish Prison Service | 119 | 115 |
| Social Security | 1,254 | 752 |
| Trade and Industry | 217 | 102 |
| Transport | 374 | 525 |
| Treasury | 44 | 64 |
| Welsh Office (including OHMCIS) | 48 | 51 |
| Others | 979 | 595 |
| Total | 9,686 | 7,616 |
Notes:
1. Numbers relate to departures with a last day of service of 31 March 1995 to 30 March 1996 inclusive.
2. "Others" include 566 early retirements and 430 early severances from employments covered by the Civil Service Compensation Scheme but which do not participate in the scheme for central funding of early departure costs, announced in a Written Answer by the then Chief Secretary, Official Report, 19 July 1994 c.95.
Source:
Paymaster agency.
15 Oct 1996 : Column: 849
Mr. Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what was the average value of (i) early retirement and (ii) voluntary severance packages given to civil servants by grade in each Government Department in 1995-96 [40120]
- (2) what was the highest value (i) early retirement and (ii) voluntary severance package given to civil servants by grade in each Government Department in 1995-96. [40122]
Mr. Freeman: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost.
Business Support
Mr. Mates: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what conclusions have been drawn from the Government's consultation on simplification of business support, announced in the third competitiveness White Paper. [40512]
The Deputy Prime Minister: My Department is today publishing the conclusions of the cross-government review on simplification of business support. The new arrangements mark a significant development in the partnership between government and business. We are bringing together support form across government into more coherent, simplified programmes. We are also committed to moving away from centrally designed and administered support schemes, which business has told us can be too complex and distant from their own needs, and to making government-funded support as customer focused as possible.
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