House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 17 Dec 1996 (pt 7)

Public Appointments

Mr. Milburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the individuals appointed by his Department to public positions in the last year were first identified by the public appointments unit. [8551]

Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 10 December 1996]: The Chancellor's Departments and agencies appointed 13 individuals to public positions in the last year from names first identified by the public appointments unit.

Income Tax (Personal Allowance)

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of increasing personal allowance on income tax to (a) £4,000, (b) £5,000, (c) £6,000, (d) £7,000 and (e) £8,000 in Scotland based on 1996-97 prices for each year from 1996-97 to 1999-2000; and in each case how many taxpayers would be removed from income tax altogether. [9079]

Mr. Jack [holding answer 13 December 1996]: It is not possible to provide a reliable breakdown below United Kingdom level for 1996-97. The latest available information is for 1994-95. The full-year cost of increasing the non-aged personal allowance in Scotland under the 1994-95 tax regime and at 1994-95 income levels is given in the table below. The numbers of taxpayers removed from income tax are also shown.

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Increase non-aged personal allowance in Scotland from £3,445 to: Full year cost (£ million) Number of taxpayers taken out of income tax (thousands)

£4,000 290 100

£5,000 770 260

£6,000 1,200 400

£7,000 1,700 540

£8,000 2,100 710

Increase non-aged personal allowance in Scotland from £3,445 to:	Full year cost (£ million)	Number of taxpayers taken out of income tax (thousands)
£4,000	290	100
£5,000	770	260
£6,000	1,200	400
£7,000	1,700	540
£8,000	2,100	710

Inflation

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual rate of inflation in April of (i) 1993, (ii) 1994, (iii) 1995 and (iv) 1996. [9133]

Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 16 December 1996]: The annual rate of inflation--measured by the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments--in April 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996 was 2.9 per cent. 2.3 per cent. 2.6 per cent. and 2.9 per cent. respectively.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which of the projects in the list entitled "Agreed Private Finance Initiative Projects" as of 26 November 1996, issued by the private finance unit, are signed projects; [9327]

(a)

(b)

(3) if he will place a copy of the list entitled "Agreed Private Finance Initiative Projects" as of 26 November 1996, issued by the private finance unit, in the Library; and if he will place updated lists in the Library on a monthly basis; [9328]

(4) to whom (a) the list, "Agreed Private Finance Initiative Projects" as of 26 November 1996, issued by private finance unit, and (b) predecessor versions of the list have been issued; and if he will place a copy of the list in the Library. [9326]

Mr. Jack [holding answer 16 December 1996]: Of the projects listed in the document dated 26 November, Departments advised the Treasury that those which are signed are as follows;

Signed

Dartford Bridge

Second Severn Bridge

Skye Bridge

Heathrow Express

Royal Armouries

NIRS2

Northern Line Trains

Greenwich Accommodation

LISA IT project

Bridgend Prison

CTRL

A69

17 Dec 1996 : Column: 511

A419

M1-A1

A1(M)

Waltham Forest HAT

German White Vehicles

Fazakerley Prison

A50

Immigration IT

OSIRIS (IT)

BA/POCL

A30

University Hospital Wales

MOD Handling Vehicles

TAFMIS IT

RAF White Vehicles

Naval Recruitment and Training

Lewisham DLR

M40

A19

Lowdham Grange Prison

Croydon Tramlink

Norfolk and Norwich Hospital

The list of 26 November represents a snapshot of significant PFI projects that individual departments have drawn to the attention of the Treasury's PFU. It was designed to provide an indication of the main areas of PFI activity, and may not be fully comprehensive. However I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library. I will arrange for similar updated lists to be placed there on a quarterly basis which reflects the regularity with which this information is now collected. However, primary responsibility for detailed project, or sector specific, information remains with individual Departments.

The cash sums alongside each project represents each Department's estimate on 26 November of expected capital investment associated with that particular project. The projected duration of each individual contract is not held centrally.

The list is available on request form the Treasury PFU and forms part of an information pack which is sent to people expressing a general interest in PFI. The list is updated from time to time. A previous version was included in the press pack accompanying the recent private finance panel conference.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Legislation

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many items of legislation relating to his Department have been repealed since January 1994; how many statutory instruments were introduced during the same period; and how many of the latter were (a) deregulatory and (b) fee orders. [9364]

Mr. Streeter: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General.

17 Dec 1996 : Column: 512

Judges (Performance Tables)

Mr. Patten: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will publish performance tables giving the number of cases heard by each judge in England and the number of occasions on which each judge had their decisions overturned on appeal. [9576]

Mr. Streeter: The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. John Patten, dated 17 December 1996:

The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of cases heard by each judge in England and the number of judges' decision overturned on appeal.

These figures are not held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

TRANSPORT

"New Labour's Public Expenditure Plans"

Mr. Derek Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what costs quoted in the document, "New Labour's Public Expenditure Plans," were prepared in his Department; what detailed assumptions and interpretations were provided to officials in his Department to enable preparation of each cost; and what was the total cost to public funds of preparing each estimate. [6350]

Sir George Young: The Department of Transport, in conjunction with the Treasury, prepared factual material relating to costings published in "New Labour's Public Expenditure Plans" numbered 11 to 17. The detailed assumptions and interpretations that were provided to officials are set out in my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary's answer to the hon. Member today. It is not the normal working practice to keep a record of the time spent preparing factual information to Ministers and it is not therefore possible to offer a reliable estimate of the costs involved.

A13

Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the (a) design life span and (b) functional life of the Movers Lane bridge on the A13; [8060]

(3) what is the annual daily flow of vehicles using the A13 this year and in each of the previous five years; [8054]

(4) what has been the cost of tendering the DBFO-- design, build, finance and operate--improvements for the Roding Bridge and Movers Lane junctions on the A13; [8058]

(5) when and for what reasons the decision was taken not to build the proposed underpass for the junction of Movers Lane/River Road on the A13; [8062]

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(6) how many accidents have occurred in each of the last five years on (i) the Lodge Avenue flyover on the A13 and (ii) the Movers Lane/River Road flyover on the A13;

(7) when the current traffic restrictions on the River Roding bridge and on the Movers Lane/River road on the A13 will be lifted; [8061]

(8) what plans he has to include a slip road in the realignment of the A13 at the junction of the Scrattons Farm estate and the A13; [8063]

(9) what is the annual daily flow forecast to use the A13 in each of the next two years on (i) weekdays and (ii) weekends; [8056]

(10) what is the annual daily flow of vehicles forecast to use the realigned A13 in the first year of the road opening for (i) weekdays and (ii) weekends; [8055]

(11) what is the annual daily flow of vehicles using the A13 between the M25 and the A406 in the current year and in each of the previous five years on (i) weekdays and (ii) weekends. [8057]

Mr. Bowis: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 17 December 1996:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent questions about traffic flows, accident data and other associated issues on the A13.

Tenders have yet to be invited for the A13 "Thames Gateway" DBFO project and therefore tendering costs are not yet known. However, I am pleased to advise you that the Highways Agency has recently invited interest from potential bidders. This project includes the Roding Bridge strengthening. Movers Lane junction improvement and other maintenance and improvement schemes.

The lane restrictions on the Roding Bridge and the weight restrictions on the Movers Lane/River Road flyover will remain in place until respectively the proposed bridge strengthening and junction improvement schemes have been implemented.

The proposed underpass at the junction of the A13 Movers Lane with River Road remains in the programme as part of the A13 Movers Lane junction improvement.

The Movers Lane/River Road flyover was built in 1966 as a temporary structure with a minimum design life of fifteen years. Since 1991 vehicles using it have been restricted to 7.5 tonnes. It is well maintained and capable of serving its present function for at least another five years.

For 1995, the annual average daily flow for all motor vehicles using the A13 between the M25 and the A406 ranged between 26,000 and 73,000 vehicles per day, with flows generally increasing toward the A406. Figures are only collected on a three year cycle and for 1992, they ranged between 23,000 and 66,000. Separate figures for weekdays and weekends are not available.

Detailed forecasts for the existing A13 for each of the next two years are not available, but a number of factors will affect the growth of traffic on the Barking and Dagenham section of the A13. Current trends suggest that in outer London traffic growth generally could be in the order of 2%. a year.

Traffic data regarding the annual average daily flow for all motor vehicles forecast to use the re-aligned A13 in the first year of the road opening separated out for weekday and weekends is not available in the form requested. However, at the public inquiry in 1990, it was forecast that the transfer of traffic to the new A13 route would be in the region of 60% with 40% on the existing road. Given the 2 per cent growth figure mentioned above, traffic on the new road on opening would be in the region of 38,000 vehicles per day. The actual figure will depend upon the growth rates which occur and development which similarly may or may not occur.

17 Dec 1996 : Column: 514

In each of the last five years, accidents numbers for the Lodge Avenue Flyover and the Movers Lane/River Road Flyover are as follows: