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Sixth Forms
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 25 May 1999, Official Report, column 100, concerning the costs of education and training for 16 to 19 year olds, if he will harmonise the funding per student of sixth form colleges and local education authority-maintained school sixth forms. [88780]
Mr. Mudie: At present, it is the responsibility of Local Authorities to allocate funds to schools, and of the Further Education Funding Council to allocate funds to other sixth-form providers.
Today the Government issued a White Paper "Learning to Succeed", setting out plans for a Learning and Skills Council which will in future fund Further Education colleges. A parallel consultation paper has been published today inviting views on options for the funding of school sixth forms in the light of the new arrangements. I refer my hon. Friend to these documents, which have been placed in the Library this afternoon, and to the statement made to the House this afternoon by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 25 May 1999, Official Report, column 100, about A level funding, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions about the average level of funding of students at sixth-form colleges; and if he will make a statement. [88575]
Mr. Mudie:
There are regular discussions between the Secretaries of State for Education and Employment and Environment, Transport and the Regions on many issues. The DETR was naturally involved in discussions leading up to the publication today of our White Paper "Learning to Succeed", and a parallel consultation paper on options for future arrangements for school sixth-form funding.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with sixth form teachers and principals about the review of post-16 educational training; and if he will make a statement. [88585]
Mr. Mudie:
A number of sixth-form colleges responded to our consultation on the post-16 review as well as representative organisations of colleges and teaching unions. I have also recently met the National Union of Teachers. The Government today issued a White Paper setting out its plans for post-16 education and training.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received regarding the pay levels of teaching staff in sixth form colleges. [88434]
Mr. Mudie:
We have recently met representatives of the Sixth Form Colleges Employers Forum and the National Joint Council for Sixth Form Colleges to discuss issues about the pay and conditions of sixth form college lecturers. We have received a number of letters from hon. Members about this issue. We have replied to those representations, noting that we are providing very substantial extra funds for further education--£725 million over the next two years. Colleges are responsible for the pay and conditions of their staff. Nevertheless, we take every opportunity to encourage
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unions and employers to work together to determine a sensible way forward under the improved circumstances we have created.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will take steps to harmonise pay levels of teaching staff in sixth form colleges and staff teaching the same age group in schools with sixth forms. [88433]
Mr. Mudie:
Sixth Form Colleges are independent, and we do not wish to interfere with that independence. We are providing very substantial extra funds for further education--£725 million over the next two years. This will offer colleges more room to manoeuvre when setting pay levels.
The Government today issued a White Paper "Learning to Succeed", setting out plans for a Learning and Skills Council which will in future fund further education colleges. A parallel consultation paper was published inviting views on options for the funding of school sixth forms in the light of the new arrangements.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people were employed by his Department in each of the years from 1993-94 to 1998-99; if he will break down the total into the categories (a) male, (b) female, (c) registered disability and (d) ethnic minority; and if his Department has an equal opportunities policy. [88684]
Mr. Mudie:
The following table shows the breakdown of staff figures in DfEE from 1993-94 to 1998-99:
| Total employed | (a) Male | (b) Female | (c) Registered disability | (d) Ethnic minority | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 April 1993 | 8,978 | 3,950 | 5,028 | -- | -- |
| 1 April 1994 | 6,561 | 2,887 | 3,674 | -- | -- |
| 1 April 1995 | 5,683 | 2,500 | 3,183 | -- | -- |
| 1 April 1996 | 5,212 | 2,345 | 2,867 | 240 | 324 |
| 1 April 1997 | 4,795 | 2,206 | 2,589 | 226 | 312 |
| 1 April 1998 | 3,956 | 1,838 | 2,118 | 191 | 310 |
| 1 April 1999 | 4,094 | 1,874 | 2,220 | 247 | 347 |
DfEE has a comprehensive Equal Opportunities Strategy which overarches our proactive equal opportunities action plans. Equality of opportunity is central to the achievement of DfEE's objectives and values. It is about the effectiveness of everything we do--how we manage ourselves, how we develop policy and how we deliver services. The Department is committed to being an equal opportunities employers. We value and welcome diversity and aim to develop all our staff to enable them to make a full contribution to meeting the Department's objectives, and to fulfil their own potential on merit. DfEE will not tolerate harassment or other unfair discrimination on grounds of sex, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, age, religion or sexual orientation. We will promote and support the use of a range of flexible working patterns to enable staff to balance home and work responsibilities; and we will treat people fairly irrespective of their working arrangements.
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Offshore Oil Revenues
Mr. Jack: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each of the last five financial years the amount of revenue received per barrel of oil extracted from United Kingdom offshore fields. [88790]
Mrs. Roche: North Sea oil tax revenues per barrel of oil produced in the same financial year, including revenues from gas production converted into equivalent amounts of oil, are in the table.
| Financial year | Tax(11) revenue per barrel (£) |
|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 1.20 |
| 1995-96 | 1.70 |
| 1996-97 | 2.40 |
| 1997-98 | 2.20 |
| 1998-99(12) | 1.60 |
(11) Petroleum revenue tax, corporation tax, and royalty
(12) Provisional
VAT
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the total annual revenue if VAT were charged at (a) 17.5 per cent. and (b) five per cent. on the issue, transfer or receipt of, or any dealing with, any security or secondary security; [88379]
- (2) if he will estimate the total annual revenue if VAT were charged at (a) 17.5 per cent. and (b) five per cent. on the underwriting of the issue of any money, or security, or note or order for the payment of money; [88380]
(3) if he will estimate the total annual revenue if VAT were charged at (a) 17.5 per cent. and (b) five per cent. on the services of the authorised corporate director of an open-ended investment company so far as they consist in managing the company's scheme property; [88381]
(4) if he will estimate the total annual revenue if VAT were charged at (a) 17.5 per cent. and (b) five per cent. on the management of an authorised unit trust scheme or of a trust-based scheme by the operator of the scheme; [88382]
(5) if he will estimate the total annual revenue if VAT were charged at (a) 17.5 per cent. and (b) five per cent. on the making of any advance of the granting of any credit; [88383]
(6) if he will estimate the total annual revenue if VAT were charged at (a) 17.5 per cent. and (b) five per cent. on the provision of the facility of instalment credit finance in a hire-purchase, conditional sale or credit sale agreement for which facility a separate charge is made and disclosed to the recipient of the supply of goods; [88384]
(7) if he will estimate the total annual revenue if VAT were charged at (a) 17.5 per cent. and (b) five per cent. on the provision of administrative arrangements and documentation and the transfer of the title to the goods in connection with the provision of the facility of instalment credit finance in a hire-purchase, conditional sale or credit
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- sale agreement for which facility a separate charge is made and disclosed to the recipient of the supply of goods if the total consideration therefore is specified in the agreement and does not exceed £10; [88385]
(8) if he will estimate the total annual revenue if VAT were charged at (a) 17.5 per cent. and (b) five per cent. on the issue, transfer or receipt of, or any dealing with, money, any security for money or any note or order for the payment of money. [88386]
Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible to provide the requested estimates due to insufficient data on these specific financial activities.
Mr. Pearson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what prior consultations were held by Customs and Excise with trade sectors concerned by the legislative changes enacted by the VAT (Finance) Order 1999; and if he will make a statement. [88920]
Dawn Primarolo: Through the regular meetings of the joint finance sector liaison group, businesses have been aware for some time of Customs and Excise concerns in this area. It was not possible to consult on specific proposals because of the risk of tax avoidance. In this area there is a history of forestalling adverse tax changes by the use of artificial pre-payment schemes that side-step the intended effect for some years in the future, leading to considerable loss of revenue.
Mr. Pearson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what legal advice he sought on (a) the vires of the VAT (Finance) Order 1999 and (b) its compatibility with European law; and if he will make a statement. [88922]
Dawn Primarolo: In considering the content of the Order, Customs took advice from in-house lawyers and from independent leading Counsel.
Mr. Pearson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects Customs and Excise to produce written guidance on how the provisions of the VAT (Finance) Order 1999 will be applied; and if he will make a statement. [88926]
Dawn Primarolo: HM Customs and Excise produced standard explanatory material on Budget Day when the VAT (Finance) Order 1999 was announced. Immediately following this they undertook detailed explanatory meetings with trade representatives and advisers. Customs have sent a draft of a more detailed guidance note to a number of trade representatives for comment. They aim to publish this by mid July.
Mr. Pearson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review with Customs and Excise how they propose to handle judgments of VAT tribunals where both the financial sector and Customs and Excise have agreed beforehand to treat such judgments as test cases; and if he will make a statement. [88923]
Dawn Primarolo:
The care and management of VAT, including the conduct of litigation, is the statutory responsibility of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise. They did not agree to treat as a "test" case any recent or current case concerning financial services.
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The Tribunal has primary responsibility for determining the facts of a case. Its decisions are binding between the parties but do not constitute binding legal precedent. Either party has a right of appeal on a matter of law to the higher courts; and on matters of European law either the Tribunal or a higher court may refer questions to the European Court of Justice.
Mr. Maude:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to adopt Article 4.4 of the EC Sixth VAT Directive; and if he will make a statement. [88913]
Dawn Primarolo:
Article 4.4 of the Sixth VAT Directive has been incorporated into UK law as VAT Act 1994 sections 4 and 43 and Schedule 1 paragraphs 1A and 2. There are no plans to introduce further legislation.
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