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Building Society Mergers
Mrs. Maddock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to include, in the final version of the Building Societies Bill, requirements for additional consultation with the staff of building societies prior to boards making a decision to recommend merger to their members. [4962]
Mrs. Angela Knight: None. Building society staff already have the same employment protection as that available to employees in other business sectors.
Self-assessment Computer System
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 16 October to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Banks), Official Report, columns 912-13, if he will list the security arrangements (a) in place and (b) planned to ensure that taxpayers' records held at Oracle facilities abroad (i) in manual form and (ii) on computer record are not misused. [5284]
Mr. Jack: I refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo), on 1 November 1996, Official Report, column 280.
Gold and Foreign Currency Reserves
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the latest available figures for the percentage of gross domestic product held in gold and foreign currency reserves by each European Union member state.[5678]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The details requested are set out in the table.
| Total reserves(9) $ billion | Total reserves/ GDP (per cent.) | Reserves/EU reserves (per cent.) | GDP/EU GDP (per cent.) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 23.07 | 10.3 | 4.6 | 2.6 |
| Belgium | 23.22 | 8.9 | 4.7 | 3.1 |
| Denmark | 15.18 | 8.9 | 3.0 | 2.0 |
| Finland | 6.84 | 5.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| France | 58.57 | 3.8 | 11.8 | 18.0 |
| Germany | 94.02 | 4.1 | 18.9 | 27.2 |
| Greece | 12.96 | 10.7 | 2.6 | 1.4 |
| Ireland | 7.84 | 12.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 |
| Italy | 75.20 | 6.1 | 15.1 | 14.4 |
| Luxembourg | 0.09 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Netherlands | 39.44 | 10.2 | 7.9 | 4.5 |
| Portugal | 20.71 | 19.7 | 4.2 | 1.2 |
| Spain | 53.94 | 9.4 | 10.8 | 6.8 |
| Sweden | 21.51 | 8.5 | 4.3 | 3.0 |
| UK | 45.41 | 4.0 | 9.1 | 13.4 |
| Total/Average | 497.97 | 5.8 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
Note:
(9) Gold figures are at national valuations. Because of different valuation conventions for gold throughout the EU, these figures are not strictly comparable.
Source:
International Financial Statistics (IMF), September 1996 (June 1996 data for total reserves).
European Monetary Institute, June 1996 forecast for 1996 GDP at market prices.
Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin.
4 Dec 1996 : Column: 649
Taxation (Self-assessment)
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 14 November, Official Report, column 311, in what ways tax inquiry centres and switchboards have been enhanced. [5704]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 25 November 1996]: Work undertaken, and planned before April 1997, to enhance the service to taxpayers includes:
Increased access to the computer system for staff in tax inquiry centres, to enable them to view the tax records of taxpayers who request assistance.
The out-reach initiative to take tax to the community, which has been making full use of the mobile advice centres touring the more inaccessible areas, ensuring that taxpayers have access to Revenue staff.
A programme of refurbishment of tax inquiry centres which has improved the general ambience of these centres, and provided increased privacy with the introduction of interview rooms.
The installation of 43 new switchboards
The addition of 190 operator consoles to existing switchboards.
Correspondence
Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter of 16 July from the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth addressed to the Department of Trade and Industry and transferred to Her Majesty's Treasury on or about 25 October. [6620]
Mr. Jack: I replied on 29 November.
Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letters dated 21 August, 25 September and 24 October from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Ms E. White, St. Gabriel's hall, 1 Oxford place, Manchester. [7286]
Mr. Kenneth Clarke [holding answer 3 December 1996]: A reply was sent on 2 December.
Single European Currency
Sir George Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to how many hon. Members he sent his circular letter on the documents relating to the proposed European single currency stability pact. [6663]
4 Dec 1996 : Column: 650
Mr. Kenneth Clarke [holding answer 28 November 1996]: I wrote to every hon. Member. I understand there were some logistical problems which, unfortunately, resulted in not all hon. Members receiving their copy before my statement to the House on 25 November. However, I did ensure that a large number of copies were deposited in the Whips Office before my statement, and on the day of my statement I arranged for further copies to be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.
Women
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many women are currently employed by his Department at each civil service grade. [6442]
Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 28 November 1996]: The information as at 1 November 1996 for HM Treasury is given in the table. On 1 April 1996, all Treasury staff transferred from their old civil service grades, into new, broad pay ranges.
| Female | |
|---|---|
| Pay range A | 46 |
| Pay range B | 175 |
| Pay range C | 75 |
| Pay range D | 91 |
| Pay range E | 59 |
| Pay range F | 13 |
| Pay range G | 4 |
| Pay range H | 0 |
| Total | 463 |
Information Technology Projects
Ms Church: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 11 November, Official Report, column 24, what were the proposed annual savings for the three information technology projects in the bands above and including £1 million to £2 million, undertaken since 1992; and what have been the realised annual savings. [6695]
Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 28 November 1996]: Two of the projects relate to the Treasury's OASIS office system, and the third to the pensions administration system.
The roll-out of the OASIS office system was completed in July, and replaced an earlier system that was coming to the end of its useful life. The replacement system was designed to improve efficiency and effectiveness by providing all Treasury staff with access to modern office automation facilities. Significant savings are expected as the system beds down and is exploited.
The new principal civil service pension scheme administration system which is being developed will be implemented by user departments over the next two years and will reduce administration costs. How much each user department will save will vary and depend on circumstances prevailing at the time. The new software will make market testing of the pensions administration function particularly effective. Software enhancement and maintenance costs will also be reduced. The project is now the responsibility of the Office of Public Service.
4 Dec 1996 : Column: 651
Ms Church:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 11 November, Official Report, column 24, what are the proposed annual savings for the seven information technology projects planned for 1997-98. [6694]
Mrs. Knight
[holding answer 28 November 1996]: The proposed projects fall broadly into two categories: those to support new requirements, and those to upgrade and maintain existing systems. In the case of new requirements, the aim is to support them in the most cost-effective way. It is very difficult to attribute quantified savings to upgrading and maintaining existing systems. This is because it is essential to upgrade systems on a regular basis in order to continue to receive support from suppliers, and also because the improvements form part of on-going work to make better use of existing IT systems.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what child care facilities his Department provides for its employees; what facilities were provided in 1992; and how many employees have used child care facilities in each year since 1992. [6453]
Mrs. Angela Knight
[holding answer 28 November 1996]: The Treasury offers staff subsidised places on the Westminster holiday playscheme, makes contributions to additional child care costs when staff are required to work additional or irregular hours, offers paid or unpaid special leave to enable staff to care for sick children or close relatives and since 1994 has been a corporate member of Parents at Work, which offers information and advice on child care issues. Subject to a satisfactory performance and attendance record, staff are also allowed to take a career break of up to five years in addition to the statutory maternity entitlement, and are kept in touch with the organisation during this time.
| 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff claiming additional childcare contributions | 9 | 2 | 7 | 5 | (10)9 |
| Staff using the Westminster Holiday Playscheme | 18 | 19 | 25 | 21 | (10)19 |
(10) To date.
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