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Military Equipment Sales
Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about the machinery which will be put in place to ensure that her Department is able to make representations to other departments on the impact on development of the sale of military equipment to developing countries (a) in general terms and (b) in respect of specific export licence applications. [2275]
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Clare Short:
As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced on 22 May Hansard column 135, we have initiated the urgent review of the detailed criteria used in considering licence applications for the export of conventional arms. This review will include the role of all Departments involved, including my own Department. This new criteria will be made available to the House when the review is complete.
Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about the steps she will take to ensure that assistance provided by her Department is not linked to the sale of military equipment to that country. [2276]
Clare Short:
This Government will never link sales of military equipment to the provision of British development assistance, either directly or indirectly.
Cabinet Committees
Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister without Portfolio if he will list the Cabinet committees (a) of which he is a member and (b) which he chairs. [2560]
Mr. Mandelson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Key Stage 2 Results Booklet
Audrey Wise: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many copies of the booklet "Primary School Performance Tables 1996 Key Stage 2 Results", were distributed to schools; and how much this cost. [2135]
Dr. Howells:
An initial total of 1.12 million copies of the booklets were sent to primary and nursery schools in England on the date of publication at a cost of £264,000 for production and £236,000 for distribution. Schools were invited to request further copies according to their needs. Copies were also available to the public and it is not possible to separate schools' requests from those of the public.
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Mrs. Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the implications for disabled people of signing the European Convention on Human Rights. [2172]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
We will introduce a Bill to incorporate the main provisions of the convention into domestic law. This will enable our domestic courts to consider claims that the rights of disabled people (and others) under the convention have been violated.
Liz Blackman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action he proposes to take in support of teachers and schools confronted by persistent poor behaviour on the part of a small number of pupils. [2181]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Following wide consultation, we will issue detailed new guidance for schools and local education authorities, including advice on good practice, to accompany implementation of the discipline provisions in the Education Act 1997. We will support locally devised projects to tackle behaviour problems under the grants for education support and training (GEST) programme, and will take more active steps to disseminate examples of good practice emerging from these projects.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment whether school deficits, actual and projected have been included in the public sector borrowing requirement calculation, for (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97 and (c) 1997-98. [2206]
Mr. Byers
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: The public sector borrowing requirement does not take account of the net deficit or surplus of funds held by schools.
(Disabled People)
Illegal Drugs
Mr. Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to prevent the importation of illegal drugs into the United Kingdom. [923]
Dawn Primarolo: Lead responsibility for preventing the importation of illicit drugs rests with HM Customs and Excise. The department's current Management Plan, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, gives details of how it will be taking its work forward over the period to 1999-2000. Tackling drugs smuggling is the department's top anti-smuggling priority.
In recent years the department has moved to a system of flexible, mobile controls that are carefully targeted on the areas of greatest risk. It is making increased use of intelligence to target major criminals and drug smuggling organisations, and is currently implementing a range of measures to maximise its effectiveness in depriving drug traffickers of the proceeds of their crimes. A key element in the department's approach is close co-operation with other UK agencies involved in the fight against drugs,
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including the police. The department is also active in fostering co-operation with overseas law enforcement agencies and the business community. Other measures under development include improved risk assessment, further steps to optimise the deployment of resources and the provision of better information for anti-smuggling staff.
In 1996-97 the department prevented drugs to a street value of more than £1.5 billion from entering the UK, while dismantling or significantly disrupting 100 smuggling organisations.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of tax returns were received by the Inland Revenue more than 12 months after the date of issue. [2131]
Dawn Primarolo:
An exercise carried out for the 1995-96 tax year indicated that the percentage of returns outstanding 12 months after issue was as follows:
| Type of individual taxpayer served with a return | Percentage of returns still outstanding 12 months after issue |
|---|---|
| Directors, employees and pensioners | 3 |
| Self employed individuals | 23 |
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of tax returns were received by the Inland Revenue (a) prior to 31 October, (b) between 1 November and 31 January and (c) between 1 February and 5 April following the end of the tax year. [2129]
Dawn Primarolo: An exercise conducted for the 1995-96 tax year indicated that the percentage of tax returns received was as follows:
| Type of individual taxpayer served with a return | Percentage of tax returns received by Inland Revenue | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior to 31 October | 1 November to 31 January | 1 February to 5 April | |
| Directors, employees and pensioners | 86 | 9 | 2 |
| Self employed individuals | 62 | 13 | 2 |
Price Stability
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the requirements of the Maastricht treaty as regards price stability following monetary union. [499]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
Article 105 of the EC Treaty states:
"The primary objective of the ESCB (European System of Central Banks) shall be to maintain price stability. Without prejudice to the objective of price stability, the ESCB shall support the general economic policies of the Community with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Community as laid down in Article 2."
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Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the EU agricultural support budget is spent in (a) Germany, (b) France and (c) Italy. [2265]
| Percentages | |
|---|---|
| (a) Germany | 15.5 |
| (b) France | 24.5 |
| (c) Italy | 10.8 |
HEALTH
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the capital projects being undertaken by NHS trusts under the PFI and their value; and if he will make a statement. [1497]
Mr. Milburn: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
This information is presented in the form of two tables. The first table (Table 1) lists all National Health Service trusts with capital projects which have been approved to test for the Private Finance Initiative following the approval of an Outline Business Case (OBC) but have not yet had the final PFI proposal approved in a Full Business Case (FBC).
The second table (Table 2) lists all those NHS trusts which have had their PFI proposal approved in the Full Business Case and are at the stages between FBC approval and completion of the project (the list includes PFI capital projects which have been completed and are fully operational).
Both tables include only PFI projects with a capital value of £1 million or over. Information on projects with a capital value of below £1 million is not held centrally.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 22 May, Official Report, column 176, on the Private Finance Initiative (1) how many merchant banks attended the meetings between the Minister of State and the principal financiers; [1936]
(3) if the meetings between the Minister of State and the principal financiers were held at the request of his Department. [1937]
Mr. Milburn:
The meeting between the principal financiers involved in the Private Finance Initiative schemes at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and Norfolk and Norwich Health Care NHS Trust and me and officials from the Department of Health was held at my request on 15 May. The financiers who attended the
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meeting were representatives from United Bank of Kuwait, Rabobank, BZW, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, Innisfree, ABN Amro, and Midland Bank.
(2) how many merchant banks contacted his Department between 2 May and 20 May, apart from those which took part in the meetings between the Minister of State and the principal financiers; [1934]
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