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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 4 March 1997
WALES
Glamorgan
Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what factors underlay the decision not to recreate the historic county of Glamorgan as a unitary authority. [18505]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The fundamental principles underpinning local government reorganisation were that: local authorities should be democratically accountable to their electorate; the roles of local authorities, and their responsibilities for service delivery, should be clearly understood by local people; local authority boundaries should, as far as possible, reflect and strengthen existing community loyalties; and local public services should be of high quality, and be efficient, economical and effective.
Wherever practicable, Ministers attempted to recreate the pre-1974 counties, but a unitary authority based on the historic administrative boundaries of Glamorgan would have resulted in a unitary authority of some 1.3 million electors--far too large to accord satisfactorily with all the principles set out.
TREASURY
London Transport Funding
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 11 February, Official Report, columns 118-19, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Lord Mayor of London's letter to him and his response on London Transport's investment programme. [15911]
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: I have placed in the Library copies of the correspondence referred to.
London Underground (Privatisation Receipts)
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the receipts that will accrue to the Treasury as a result of the sale of London Underground. [18625]
Mr. Jack: Proceeds will depend on the structural option selected for the sale and the level of demand from bidders.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
Mr. Tony Banks:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with which airlines and travel companies he has recently had discussions about the enforcement of CITES regulations; and what has been the response in each case. [17837]
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Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 27 February 1997]: I have written to a number of airlines and travel companies, as I explained on 13 February in my answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway), Official Report, column 448, seeking their participation in an initiative aimed at producing a video for in-flight display aimed at enhancing the CITES profile and environmentally responsible tourism.
The airlines I contacted were Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Air Canada, Air France, Air India, Air UK Ltd., Alitilia Airlines, American Airlines, Bangladesh Airlines, British Airways, British Midland Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., Continental Airlines, Cyprus Airways, Egyptair, El Al Airlines, Finnair, Ghana Airways, Iberia Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Monarch Airlines, Olympic Airways, Pakistan International Airlines, Qantas Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Sabena Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Swissair, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
Airtours, Leisure International Airways, Iberia, Kenya Airways, and Singapore Airlines have already agreed to show the video as part of their in-flight entertainment. British Airways has asked for a meeting to discuss the technical detail. Lufthansa and United Airways have referred the matter to their head offices. Air France, Air UK, and KLM all indicated that they have no in-flight entertainment on their UK services. Other airlines, including Virgin Atlantic, have yet to respond but replies have been solicited through follow-up letters.
The following tour operators and travel agents were contacted: Airtours plc, Althams Travel Services Ltd., American Express Europe Ltd., Avro plc, Bakers Dolphin, Britannic Travel Ltd., British Airways Holidays Ltd., British Airways Travel Shops Ltd., Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd., Cosmosair plc, Cresta Holidays Ltd., Crystal Holidays Ltd., Dawson and Sanderson Ltd., First Choice Holidays and Flights Ltd., Going Places Leisure Travel Ltd., Gold Medal Travel Group plc, Hogg Robinson (Travel) Ltd., Hotel Plan Ltd., Inspirations East Ltd., Kuoni Travel Ltd., Lunn Poly Ltd., Midlands Co-operative Society Ltd., MTG (UK) Ltd. (AT Mays and The Travel Agents), Portman Travel Ltd., STA Travel Ltd., Sunset Holidays plc, Sunworld Ltd., Thomas Cook Group Ltd., Thomson Tour Operations Ltd., Trailfinders Ltd., The Travel Company Ltd., Travel 2 Ltd., Unijet Travel Ltd., United Norwest Co-operatives Ltd., Virgin Holidays Ltd. and Woodcock Travel Ltd.
Airtours plc, Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd., Hogg Robinson, Midlands Co-operative Society Ltd. (Co-op Travel), Trailfinders Ltd., Unijet Travel Ltd., United Norwest Co-operatives Ltd. (Co-op Travel) are lending support by agreeing to distribute associated literature. Bakers Dolphin explained that it covers the issue in its existing leaflets.
Britannic Travel Ltd., Carlson Wagonlit Travel, AT Mays and The Travel Agents, and Virgin Holidays Ltd. replied that for a variety of practical reasons they were unable to participate. As with the airlines, other correspondents have yet to reply but we are optimistic of receiving further positive responses in the near future.
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I will be announcing further details in due course.
Mr. Connarty:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue received from air passenger duty at (a) the lower rate and (b) the higher rate on traffic in and out of the Scottish isles in 1995-96. [17944]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 28 February 1997]: Customs' estimate of revenue received from air passenger duty on flights in and out of the Scottish isles in the financial year 1995-96 is (a) for the lower rate of £5, about £3 million and (b) for the higher rate of £10, less than £1 million.
Mr. Connarty:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue received from air passenger duty on domestic United Kingdom flights in and out of the Scottish isles in 1995-96. [17945]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 28 February 1997]: Customs' estimate of revenue received from air passenger duty on domestic United Kingdom flights in and out of the Scottish isles in the financial year 1995-96 is about £2 million.
Mr. Connarty:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue received from air passenger duty at (a) the lower rate and (b) the higher rate of traffic in and out of Northern Ireland in 1995-96. [17946]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 28 February 1997]: Customs' estimate of revenue received from air passenger duty on flights in and out of Northern Ireland in the financial year 1995-96 is (a) for the lower rate of £5, about £13 million and (b) for the higher rate of £10, less than £1 million.
Mr. Connarty:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue received from air passenger duty on domestic United Kingdom flights in and out of Northern Ireland in 1995-96. [17947]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 28 February 1997]: Customs' estimate of revenue received from air passenger duty on domestic United Kingdom flights in and out of Northern Ireland in the financial year 1995-96 is about £12 million.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his Department's latest estimate of the number of illegal firearms entering the United Kingdom (a) via the channel tunnel and (b) via other points of access in each of the last five years. [18129]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 3 March 1997]: Customs does not hold central statistics of the number of illegal firearms entering the UK broken down in this way. The following table sets out the number of firearms seized by customs since 1992.
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| Year ended 31 March | Hand guns | Rifles | Shot guns | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 176 | 126 | 82 | 384 |
| 1993 | 138 | 41 | 39 | 218 |
| 1994 | 94 | 338 | 49 | 481 |
| 1995 | 261 | 49 | 111 | 421 |
| 1996 | (1)13,342 | 61 | 124 | (1)13,527 |
| Totals | (1)14,011 | 615 | 405 | (1)15,031 |
(1) The large number of handguns seized was due to a single seizure of 13,260 flares incorporating barrels which are regarded as firearms within the meaning of the Firearms Acts.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Departmental Contracts
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to (a) EDS, (b) Andersen, (c) BMI, (d) Sema and (e) Capita since 1992 and the broad function to be carried out by the contractor and the value of the contract in each case. [17610]
Mr. Howard: The contracts let by my Department since 1992 are as follows:
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