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Monetary Growth Rate (M4)
Mr. Michael Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors underlie his decision to set a target monitoring range of 3 to 9 per cent. for the monetary M4 growth rate. [14046]
Mrs. Angela Knight: Broad money is one of the indicators that is considered when taking monetary policy decisions.
The Government decided in the November 1996 Financial Statement and Budget Report to retain a medium-term monitoring range for M4 of 3 to 9 per cent. This was based on an assessment of likely movements in M4 velocity--the ratio of money gross domestic product to M4.
This medium-term monitoring range is not an operational target, but provides an indication of the growth of M4 that is likely to be consistent with permanently low inflation. Because of the potential effects on velocity from changes in the rate of financial innovation, the high level of merger and acquisition activity, and the introduction of a gilt repo market, the Government will continue to keep the monitoring ranges for the monetary aggregates under review.
Mr. Bayley:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of "Social Trends 27" were printed; on what day they will be distributed to the public with the correction slip referred to in the Office of National Statistics' press release of 30 January headed "Social Trends Error"; what is the cost of printing and distributing the correction slip; and if copies of "Social Trends 27" will be withdrawn from circulation or destroyed as a result of the error. [14276]
5 Feb 1997 : Column: 614
Mrs. Angela Knight:
A total of 7,500 copies of "Social Trends 27" were printed. Copies with the correction slip inside are being distributed today by The Stationery Office. The estimated maximum cost of printing and distributing the correction slip is £2,000. All sales copies of the original report were withdrawn from circulation by The Stationery Office pending the issue of the correction slip.
Mr. Milburn:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which local tax offices have agreed a rate for the taxation of mileage allowances for the business use of pedal cycles; and if he will list the rates. [14232]
Mr. Jack:
Where an employer pays a mileage allowance for the business use of pedal cycles, tax offices will agree that there is no tax liability as long as the rate paid does no more than cover the tax-allowable expenditure.
Mr. Hain:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of gross domestic product for (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany, (c) France, (d) the European Union and (e) Japan was devoted to research and development in the latest year for which figures are available. [13453]
Mrs. Angela Knight:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
5 Feb 1997 : Column: 615
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Peter Hain, dated 5 February 1997:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on what percentage of gross domestic product was devoted to research and development (R&D).
Source:
OECD Main Science and Technology Indicators 1996/2.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to eliminate mixed-sex wards in hospitals. [13896]
Mr. Gwilym Jones:
The Welsh Office will be having discussions with health authorities and trusts to determine how standards can be further improved in providing patients with appropriate levels of privacy and dignity.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to consider each of the health authorities' head injuries rehabilitation plans and strategies; and if he will make a statement. [13863]
Mr. Gwilym Jones:
Each health authority in Wales has given priority to head injuries rehabilitation. Their performance will be monitored by my Department through the annual accountability review process.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many lone parents there are in Wales, broken down by gender; how many are unemployed; and if he will make a statement. [13759]
Mr. Gwilym Jones:
The summer 1996 labour force survey estimated that, in Wales, there were 101,000 lone parents with dependent children. This estimate, however, is based on a relatively small sample and should be regarded only as a broad order of magnitude. While most of the lone parents identified in the survey were women, reliable estimates by gender and of the numbers unemployed are not available.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to visit (a) primary and (b) secondary schools on Deeside and in Buckly to discuss teacher supply; and if he will make a statement. [14050]
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Mr. Jonathan Evans:
During 1997 my right hon. Friend and I intend to visit a number of schools throughout Wales. I have no doubt that during these visits we shall discuss a range of issues concerning the education service, including teacher supply.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning his policy on homework for school pupils. [14051]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
I refer the hon. Member to "A Bright Future: Beating the Previous Best", which was published on 3 February. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent research his Department has commissioned on the effects of acidic rain on upland flora and animal life; and if he will make a statement. [13915]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
The Welsh Office has commissioned research to quantify current rates of acid deposition in Wales and to assess the impacts on the chemistry and biology of streams and lakes. Comparison with a study in 1984 by the former Welsh Water Authority will indicate how impacts have changed as emissions of acid gases have decreased. It is planned to publish the results of the research in summer 1997.
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has set in respect of the time scale within which planning appeals submitted to him should be resolved. [14005]
Mr. Gwilym Jones:
The planning inspectorate has been set the following targets for dealing with planning appeals:
The figures requested are shown in the table below:
Percentage
United Kingdom 2.19
Germany 2.33
France 2.38
European Union 1.90
Japan 2.84
In addition, the inspectorate has the following internal targets for determining enforcement appeals:
Eighty per cent. of all planning appeals decided by written representations to be determined within 17 weeks;
Eighty per cent. of all planning appeals decided by hearings to be determined within 22 weeks;
Eighty per cent. of all planning appeals decided by inquiries to be determined within 30 weeks.
In cases where appeals are decided by the Secretary of State, the aim is to decide 80 per cent. within eight weeks of receiving the inspector's report.
Eighty per cent. of enforcement appeals decided by written representations to be determined within 35 weeks;
Eighty per cent. of enforcement appeals decided by inquiries to be determined within 46 weeks.
Railtrack Depot (Cardiff)
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when Railtrack's planning appeal on the Maindy road depot in Cardiff was received by his Department; and when he expects a decision to be reached. [14006]
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Mr. Gwilym Jones: My right hon. Friend received the Inspector's report into these appeals on 6 June 1996. He and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport will issue the decisions jointly as soon as they are able to do so.
Pupil Referral Units
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the numbers of children in Wales currently attending pupil referral units; and what is the average cost of such a place. [14148]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: Provisional details as at January 1996 indicate that there were 468 children attending pupil referral units in Wales. Details of the average cost of a place in a PRU are not available.
Cancelled Operations
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library figures (a) by district health authority and (b) in total for the number of operations cancelled on the day of, or the day after, admission to hospital and the number of those patients not readmitted within a month for the third quarter of 1996-97. [13858]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Information on the number of cancelled operations is not available centrally. Provisional information on the number of patients admitted and treated more than one month after a cancelled operation is collected by NHS trusts and is given in the following table. A patient treated in a NHS trust may not necessarily be a resident of the health authority in which the trust is situated.
| NHS Trust: | Quarter ending 31 December 1996 |
|---|---|
| Bridgend and District | -- |
| Carmarthen and District | 13 |
| Ceredigion and Mid Wales | -- |
| East Glamorgan | 4 |
| Glan Clwyd General Hospital | -- |
| Glan Hafren | 2 |
| Glan-y-Mor | 2 |
| Gwynedd Hospitals | -- |
| Llandough Hospital | 1 |
| Llanelli Dinefwr | 6 |
| Morriston Hospital | 1 |
| Nevill Hall and District | 3 |
| North Glamorgan | 2 |
| Pembrokeshire | 1 |
| Powys Health Care | -- |
| Swansea | -- |
| University Hospital of Wales Healthcare | 12 |
| Velindre | -- |
| Wrexham Maelor Hospital | -- |
| Wales | 47 |
5 Feb 1997 : Column: 618
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