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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 29 April 1999
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Historic Military Equipment
Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he issued a heritage export licence for a Panzer iv/70 (V) main battle tank during 1998. [82194]
Mr. Alan Howarth: The information given on applications for heritage export licences is commercially sensitive and is given in confidence. The Government cannot, therefore, reveal details about objects which are the subject of applications. We are advised that it would also be an unwarranted invasion of privacy contrary to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) regulations and (b) guidelines he has issued relating to the export of military equipment which is over 50 years old. [82172]
Mr. Alan Howarth: An individual export licence is required on heritage grounds from my Department for firearms between 50 and 100 years old if valued at or above £39,600. All other arms and armour over 50 years of age and firearms more than 100 years old require an individual export licence on heritage grounds if valued at or above £20,000. In addition, the export of any goods covered by Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, the so called military list, requires an export licence from the Department of Trade and Industry regardless of monetary value or age.
The booklet, "Export Licensing for Culture Goods: Procedures and Guidance for Exporters of Works of Art and other Cultural Goods", which is issued by my Department, sets out the export licensing requirements on heritage grounds.
Advance Corporation Tax
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his assessment of the effect of recent changes to advance corporation tax on the tourism industry. [81803]
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Janet Anderson
[holding answer 28 April 1999]: We have made no specific assessment of the effect on the tourism industry of the recent changes to advance corporation tax.
The abolition of advance corporation tax from 6 April 1999, together with other recent changes in corporation tax, is aimed at stimulating greater high-quality long-term investment and will increase the attraction of the UK as a location for international companies. The removal of advance corporation tax, which gives all small to medium companies that pay dividends a significant cash-flow advantage, should benefit some of the many small firms which make up the tourism industry.
As we outlined in our recent strategy, "Tomorrow's Tourism", we are committed to creating the right economic climate for enterprise and investment for the whole of the UK economy as well as the tourism industry; these corporation tax changes contribute to our central economic objective of promoting economic stability as a platform for long-term sustainable growth.
Mrs. Anne Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for shire counties (a) the education service-block Standard Spending Assessment for each county, divided by the total number of full-time-equivalent pupils financed by that county, (b) the primary education service-sub-block Standard Spending Assessment for each county, divided by the number of primary pupils financed by that county and (c) the secondary education service-sub-block Standard Spending Assessment for each county, divided by the number of secondary pupils financed by that county. [82206]
Ms Armstrong:
Data are not collected on the total number of full-time-equivalent pupils financed by a county.
The calculations in the table for (b) and (c) have divided the Standard Spending Assessment by the estimated number of resident pupils (as defined in the Local Government Finance Report) for primary (aged 5 to 10) and secondary (aged 11 to 15) pupils respectively. Equivalent data for resident nursery (aged 3 to 4) pupils and resident pupils aged 16 and over do not exist; it is not therefore possible to provide data for (a).
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Mrs. Anne Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each shire county (a) the difference between the education department budget and that county's education service-block SSA in 1998-99 and (b) that sum, divided by the total number of full-time-equivalent pupils financed by that education department. [82171]
Ms Armstrong:
Shire counties have reported budget education net revenue expenditure and their education SSA for 1998-99, as given in the table.
Data are not collected on the total number of full-time- equivalent pupils financed by a county. Education Net Revenue Expenditure covers a wider range of activities than school expenditure, so it would not be appropriate to present this information on a per pupil basis.
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