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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 18 May 1999
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Financial Services Sector
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of criminal cases relating to the financial services sector referred to (a) the CPS and (b) the SFO resulted in charges being brought in each of the last three years. [84089]
The Attorney-General: Neither the Serious Fraud Office nor the Crown Prosecution Service records case information by reference to the economic sector in which the activity giving rise to consideration of charges takes place. Accordingly, in order to answer the question, it would be necessary to undertake an individual review of all cases, which could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of prosecutions alleging offences relating to the financial services sector brought by (a) the CPS and (b) the SFO resulted in convictions in each of the last three years. [84090]
The Attorney-General: Neither the Serious Fraud Office nor the Crown Prosecution Service records case information by reference to the economic sector in which the activity giving rise to prosecutions and convictions takes place. Accordingly, in order to answer the question, it would be necessary to undertake an individual review of all cases, which could be done only at disproportionate cost.
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Scottish Members (Office Costs)
Mr. Forth: To ask the President of the Council if she will review the Parliamentary Office and Secretarial Allowances of Scottish hon. Members following the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament. [83957]
Millennium Compliance
Mr. Levitt: To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to her answer on 20 April 1999, Official Report, column 480, when she will publish the latest results of the market research tracking public perception of the millennium bug. [84842]
Mrs. Beckett:
I have today placed copies of the Executive Summaries of the February and March tracking research in the Libraries of the House.
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The results are broadly consistent with the results for January, showing that concern amongst the public on this issue is still low. The results also show that those questioned are looking beyond the impact of the Bug on computers and are now considering the wider effects.
Mr. Hayes:
To ask the President of the Council what official functions she held on 13 April; and if she will list the persons who attended. [84668]
Mrs. Beckett:
In the morning, I attended a Privy Council Meeting; later in the day, I had meetings with officials in my Department. In the evening, I hosted an official function for Parliamentary Private Secretaries. This was one of three functions I have recently hosted as Leader of the House to build up contacts with, and thank, people, such as select committee chairmen, who shoulder a specific and extra burden of work in the House.
Aviation (Near Misses)
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many investigations have been held in the past year into reports of near misses by aircraft flying over the UK; how many were related to aircraft using the Clacton sector air corridor; whether an investigation is being made into reports of an incident on 7 May; what action he will take to prevent further incidents; and if he will make a statement. [84035]
Ms Glenda Jackson: All reported airprox incidents are fully investigated by the independent UK Airprox Board (UKAB). Information on the location of individual airprox incidents is not held in the form requested. In 1998, UKAB investigated 202 airprox incidents, slightly lower than at any time in the past decade, despite significant increases in traffic over that period. Up to 7 May 1999 there have been 66 incidents reported to the UKAB.
The Civil Aviation Authority's Safety Regulation Group (SRG) is carrying out an investigation into the airprox incident which occurred on 6 May over Essex. Once completed, the SRG report will be passed to the UKAB for its review and assessment of the incident. UKAB will publish its findings. This will include an assessment of the degree of collision risk and any safety recommendations UKAB thinks it appropriate to make.
Landfill Tax Credits
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much has been awarded to environmental bodies since January 1997 under the landfill tax credit scheme; and what percentage of this total is a voluntary donation from landfill operators and not refunded through landfill tax credits. [84214]
Mr. Meale:
According to Entrust, £162.4 million was awarded to environmental bodies as at 13 May 1999 and 10 per cent. of this total is a voluntary donation from landfill operators and not refunded through the landfill tax credits.
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Dr. Julian Lewis:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what qualitative reviews are required by the Audit Commission of the work of district auditors; and how many such reviews were carried out in the case of the District Auditor's investigation of Westminster City Council. [84105]
Ms Armstrong:
The Commission operates a quality control review process to monitor the performance of auditors and to ensure they comply with its Code of Audit Practice, which is issued under section 4(1) of the Audit Commission Act 1998 and approved by Parliament, and with professional auditing standards. The Commission reviewed the work of the District Auditor's investigation of Westminster City Council designated sales on a number of occasions, most recently in April 1996.
Dr. Julian Lewis:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what have been the fee levels, in pounds per hour, charged by each of the auditors appointed by the Audit Commission over the period from July 1989 to April 1999. [84103]
Ms Armstrong:
The standard composite fee rates for principal authorities set by the Commission since 1989 are as follows:
| London | South-East | Elsewhere | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government | |||
| November 1988 | 36.00 | 31.50 | 31.00 |
| November 1989 | 40.00 | 34.30 | 33.50 |
| November 1990 | 44.50 | 38.25 | 37.00 |
| November 1991 | 47.50 | 40.90 | 39.40 |
| November 1992 | 48.20 | 42.50 | 40.00 |
| November 1993 | 48.20 | 42.50 | 40.00 |
| November 1994 | 48.70 | 42.90 | 40.40 |
| November 1995 | 49.70 | 43.80 | 41.20 |
| November 1996 | 50.70 | 44.70 | 42.00 |
| November 1997 | 52.70 | 46.50 | 43.70 |
| November 1998 | 55.30 | 48.80 | 45.90 |
| Health | |||
| November 1990 | 46.50 | 40.00 | 38.75 |
| November 1991 | 49.80 | 43.00 | 41.40 |
| November 1992 | 50.40 | 44.60 | 42.00 |
| November 1993 | 50.90 | 45.10 | 42.40 |
| November 1994 | 51.40 | 45.60 | 42.80 |
| November 1995 | 52.40 | 46.50 | 43.70 |
| November 1996 | 53.50 | 47.40 | 44.60 |
| November 1997 | 55.60 | 49.30 | 46.40 |
| November 1998 | 57.80 | 51.20 | 48.20 |
District Auditor's Inquiry (Westminster)
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what tendering procedures were employed by the District Auditor in the case of Westminster City Council in choosing his legal representative. [84104]
Ms Armstrong: This is a matter for the independent appointed auditor.
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been levied from local authorities by the Audit Commission up to 30 April to finance the Divisional
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Court and the Appeal Court costs of Westminster Council's appointed auditor, his support staff and legal team. [84116]
Ms Armstrong:
The Audit Commission is required to balance income with expenditure taking one year with another. The Audit Commission has met, in relation to the Westminster designated sales inquiry, costs of £2,997,000 incurred by the auditor in respect of his costs and those of his solicitor and barrister.
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the amount which the Audit Commission will need to levy from local authorities to reimburse the legal costs of the six persons cleared by the Divisional Court and the Court of Appeal of liability for the surcharge by the Westminster Council's Auditor. [84117]
Ms Armstrong:
My right hon. Friend has made no such estimate. Audit fees are a matter for the independent Audit Commission.
Ms Perham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what arrangements have been made with the police and local authorities for dealing with an overseas nuclear accident over the millennium period. [84255]
Mr. Meale:
Arrangements for dealing with the consequences for the UK of an overseas nuclear accident are set out in the National Response Plan, copies of which are held in the House Library. These can be activated at any time.
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