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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 6 November
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Radio Channels
Mr. Woolas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings (a) he and (b) his officials have had with representatives of Children 2000 to discuss the possibility of a children's and schools' radio channel. [13369]
Mr. Fisher: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not held any meetings with representatives of Children 2000. I understand that when they met his officials to discuss the White Paper "The People's Lottery" they set out their plans for a children's and schools' radio channel.
Mr. Woolas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans he has to support the establishment of a children's and schools' radio channel; [13371]
- (2) what plans he has to ensure that one of the available digital radio channels on one of the new multiplexes will be devoted to children's and schools' broadcasting.[13370]
Mr. Fisher: My right hon Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to direct the Radio Authority in exercising its statutory responsibility to award independent radio licenses in the UK.
Mr. Woolas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the technology and planning permission issues have been addressed in respect of the transmission of the available 225kHz channel. [13368]
Mr. Fisher: The Radio Authority is presently considering the feasibility of using 225kHz for independent radio licensing. Any proposals put forward by the Radio Authority would need to be discussed with other countries by the Radiocommunications Agency under the International Telecommunication Union procedures which are designed to ensure that services can co-exist without causing interference with each other.
Mr. Woolas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he plans to award a national radio franchise on the available 225kHz frequency. [13372]
Mr. Fisher: The award of national radio licences is a matter for the Radio Authority and not for Ministers. The Radio Authority is still considering the technical feasibility of using 225kHz for an independent national service.
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Drugs Tsar
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the President of the Council what
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criteria will be applied to assess the efficiency of the work of the Drugs Tsar in respect of (a) prisons, (b) raves, (c) schools and (d) the use of illegal drugs by those who have MS. [13806]
Mrs. Ann Taylor:
The immediate priorities for Keith Hellawell--the recently appointed UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator--will be to review existing action against drug misuse, and then, as soon as possible, submit proposals to Ministers to develop the strategy to tackle drugs problems through effective enforcement, prevention, education and treatment. In drawing up his proposals, Mr. Hellawell will assess the effectiveness of the work currently being undertaken, which will help focus future efforts against drug misuse. The new strategy will contain objectives against which the Government's progress can be assessed.
VAT (Historic Buildings)
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to remove VAT from the repair and maintenance of historic buildings. [14182]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 5 November 1997]: I have no plans to remove VAT from the repair and maintenance of historic buildings.
Tax Advice
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on (a) tax consultants and (b) other external tax advice in (i) 1995-96, (ii) 1996-97 and (iii) 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. [13535]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 30 October 1997]: The Treasury has not sought external tax advice or employed tax consultants in order to reduce the Department's tax payments.
Tax Harmonisation
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on direct tax harmonisation in Europe. [13529]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 30 October 1997]: Direct taxation is a matter for Member States at national level. Proposals for action at the Community level must respect the principles of subsidiarity and unanimity.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussion took place at the most recent ECOFIN meeting about tax harmonisation; and if he will make a statement. [14087]
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the October ECOFIN agreement on a code of conduct for taxation levels in the European Union. [13530]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 3 November 1997]: I refer to the answer my right hon. Friend the Chancellor gave to my hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Mr. Timms) on 3 November 1997, Official Report, column 16.
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Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons he instructed the public sector pay review bodies not to allow their recommendations to be influenced by the headline rate of retail price inflation; and if he will make a statement. [13647]
Mr. Darling:
Pay settlements next year must be affordable and will need to take account of our commitment to keep to the existing spending plans. We have asked the pay review bodies to give this priority over other considerations, including headline RPI where the current rate is high in relation to the 2½ per cent. inflation target. Keeping pay settlements under control will help Departments to maintain the delivery of services within their budgets.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the policy of the Government to make a declaration of intent regarding the European Single Currency on 21 November, and if he will make a statement. [13283]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
My statement to the House on 27 October set out clearly the Government's position on the European Single Currency.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the conclusions of his Review of the Tax and Benefits System; and if he will make a statement. [13290]
Dawn Primarolo:
The work of Martin Taylor's task force on tax and benefits will inform my right hon. Friend's next Budget Statement.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the date on which he intends to present the Budget in 1998. [13285]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
I will present the Budget Statement in the Spring. I will make an announcement of the date in due course.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he plans to publish his consultative paper on the 1998 Budget; and if he will make a statement. [13289]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
I refer to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Mr. Timms) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, column 884.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement. [13288]
Mr. Darling:
It is intended to complete the Review in the middle of next year.
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Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the present accounting procedures relating to Government loans made to support the introduction of higher education tuition fees in order to distinguish between Government spending and Government lending; and if he will make a statement. [13646]
Mr. Darling
[holding answer 5 November 1997]: A response will be made to the Dearing Inquiry recommendation on the treatment of student loans in due course.
Mr. Gunnell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for taxes on opencast coal mining, gravel extraction and limestone quarries in accordance with the polluter pays principle; and how these would be administered. [14282]
Dawn Primarolo:
As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his July Budget, work is being carried out on the environmental costs attached to quarrying. The results will inform consideration of whether there is a case for tax or other measures to ensure that these costs are reflected in prices.
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