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22 Oct 2002 : Column 209W—continued
Drugs
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when she last met the Home Secretary to discuss changes in drug classification, and its implications for the Scottish legal framework. [73590]
Mrs. McGuire: My right hon. Friend has regular discussions with the Home Secretary on a range of issues.
The classification of drugs is a reserved matter and is governed by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which applies across the United Kingdom. Any changes in classification will therefore apply in Scotland.
Mr. Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps she is taking to intensify the campaign against drugs in Scotland. [73596]
Mrs. McGuire: We are continuing to work with Home Office and Scottish Executive colleagues to stress the anti-drugs message and highlight drug control initiatives. The new Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 extends
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to Scotland and will put in place an enhanced and effective system for seizing assets from drug related crime and other criminal activity.
National Minimum Wage
Mr. Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps are being taken to ensure the enforcement of the national minimum wage in Scotland. [73591]
Mrs. McGuire: Inland Revenue has specialist enforcement teams based in Aberdeen and East Kilbride who are responsible for enforcing the national minimum wage in Scotland. The teams follow up complaints made by workers and third parties about non-compliance and use other Revenue risk based data to identify employers for enquiry. Since April 1999, the teams have conducted 1,910 inspections and recovered of over #660,000 in wage arrears for low paid workers in Scotland.
Scottish Parliament
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when she plans to announce the results of the consultation process on the size of the Scottish Parliament. [73592]
Mrs. Liddell: I hope to be able to announce a decision on the future size of the Scottish Parliament before the end of the year.
Child Protection
Mr. James Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if she will create (a) a child-safeguarding board and (b) multi-agency child safeguarding teams in Scotland to increase the effectiveness of professionals in the field. [73593]
Mrs. McGuire: This is a devolved matter for the Scottish Executive.
Gaelic Broadcasting
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans she has to encourage Gaelic broadcasting. [73594]
Mrs. Liddell: The Government set out its plans for a new body to oversee Gaelic broadcasting in the policy document that accompanied the draft Communications Bill published on 7 May. The new body would build on the strengths of the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee and have a broader representative base, including the main broadcaster interests and others responsible for the development of Gaelic language and culture. It would also have powers to develop a strategy for a Gaelic television and radio service to meet the aspirations of the Gaelic community.
Ship Building
Mr. Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if she will make a statement on the Scotland Office's role in promoting the shipbuilding industry in Scotland. [73595]
Mrs. Liddell: Shipbuilding, as a modern, innovative and technology intensive industry, continues to make an important contribution to the Scottish economy and has
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gained significant benefits from defence procurement. My Department and I will continue to ensure that the particular Scottish interests within UK shipbuilding are represented both at home and abroad. As such I was delighted to visit Scotstoun on 22 June to perform the launch ceremony for KDB Jerambak, the third Offshore Patrol Vessel on order from the Royal Brunei Navy.
TREASURY
Euro
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if his Department has completed the preliminary technical work relating to five economic tests for the euro and if he will make a statement; [75718]
- (2) when he plans to start the assessment of the five economic tests for euro membership; and if he will make a statement. [75719]
Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 15 October, Official Report, column 607W.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which staff within Her Majesty's Treasury will carry out the assessment of the five economic tests for membership of the euro; and if he will make a statement. [75840]
Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell) on 20 May, Official Report, column 105W.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his assessment of how the monetary transmission mechanism of the UK economy differs from that of the euro area. [75841]
Ruth Kelly: The Government has said that it will complete an assessment of the five economic tests within two years of the start of this Parliament. The assessment has not yet started, but the necessary preliminary analysis—technical work that is necessary to allow us to undertake the assessment within two years as promised—is underway.
As we set out in ''Paper for the Treasury Select Committee on the Treasury's Approach to the Preliminary and Technical Work'' issued on 6 September: ''A number of supporting studies will be published encompassing the preliminary and technical work . . . When the assessment is complete, the detailed supporting studies will be published alongside, all to be subject to intensive public scrutiny and debate.'' More detail on the supporting studies is given in the Paper.
EU Growth and Stability Pact
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress in reforming the European Union Growth and Stability Pact. [75720]
Ruth Kelly: The Government has consistently said that it supports a prudent interpretation of the Stability Pact, which takes into account the impact of the economic cycle, sustainability and the important role of public investment. We continue to discuss this with our EU colleagues.
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Indirect Taxation
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what improvements have been made to the collection of statistics published on 5 May 1998, Official Report, column 331; what plans he has to introduce new indices of indirect taxation; and if he will make a statement. [74556]
Dawn Primarolo: The statistics in question relate to ''typical'' families in the UK. The impact of indirect taxes on a typical family are imprecise as spending patterns vary widely between households with the same composition and income level. We have no plans to introduce new indices of indirect taxation.
National Insurance Contributions
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many married women paying the reduced rate of National Insurance contributions opted to pay the full rate in each year since 1977; [74723]
- (2) how many married women who have paid reduced rate National Insurance contributions opted to buy back past years to increase their benefit entitlement, in each year since 1977. [74724]
Dawn Primarolo: The number of married women paying at the reduced rate of National Insurance contributions who opted to pay the full rate would only be available for the years requested at disproportionate cost. However, available estimates based on a 3 per cent. sample of the National Insurance Recording System (NIRS2) are in the table.
| Numbers of women opting to pay at the full rate after paying reduced rate contributions | |
|---|---|
| 1997–1998 | 12,100 |
| 1998–1999 | 14,900 |
| 1999–2000 | 11,600 |
| 2000–2001 | 7,200 |
Current legislation does not allow married women the option to buy back years covered by a reduced rate election to increase their benefit entitlement.
Mr. Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the categories of people who had to pay reduced rate class 1 national insurance contributions; and, for each category, whether entitlement to contributory benefits was gained; [76114]
- (2) if he will list the categories of people given the option to pay reduced rate class 1 national insurance contributions (a) before and (b) after 5 April 1977; and, for each category, whether entitlement to contributory benefits was gained. [76113]
Dawn Primarolo: Married women and widows married before 5 April 1977 could elect, if the election was made before 12 May 1977, to pay reduced rate National Insurance contributions. The reduced rate contributions they elected to pay only covered them for Industrial Injuries Benefits. They did not build up entitlement to other contributory benefits in their own right. However, these women may receive a basic state pension based on their husband's contribution record when he retires and claims his state retirement pension.
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