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14 Apr 2003 : Column 494W—continued

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer of 2 April 2003, Official Report, column 910, what evidence he has received that (a) the Iraqi authorities have used children as human shields in battle zones, (b) the Iraqi authorities plan to desecrate religious shrines and blame the damage on United Kingdom and United States invasion forces and (c) the Iraqi authorities have placed military assets on or near ancient historical and religious monuments as deterrents. [107597]

The Prime Minister: As I said in the House on 2 April, we have a concern, based on intelligence, that the Iraqi regime intended to damage holy sites with a view to blaming the coalition falsely for that damage.

I am aware also of media reports that children have been used as human shields and we have seen indications from the field and coalition partners that the Iraqi authorities have placed military assets near schools and hospitals.

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Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the steps he has taken to press the UN to create an international court to try Saddam Hussein for (a) war crimes and (b) genocide. [108275]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I gave in the House today.

Mr. Gale: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer of 2 April 2003, Official Report, column 912, on postage to Her Majesty's forces in Iraq, when he expects that a free mail service will be available for families wishing to send parcels to British forces serving in Iraq. [109397]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Defence on 10 April 2003, Official Report, columns 32–34WS.

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether it is his policy to endorse the rearmament of Iraq following the conflict in the Gulf; [108546]

The Prime Minister: I have had no discussions concerning the rearmament of Iraq. Iraq is currently subject to UN sanctions prohibiting the import of all military and dual use goods. It will be for the UN Security Council to decide whether and when the conditions are in place to lift these sanctions.

Research and Information Unit

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what categories of information are held about (a) individual hon. Members and (b) opposition parties by the Research and Information Unit. [108975]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 20 June 2002, Official Report, column 463W.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Absenteeism

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of absenteeism rates in days per annum for staff in his Department in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [104177]

Mr. Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established following Machinery of Government changes in May 2002. Information on absenteeism, other than sick absence, is not kept centrally. Absenteeism is managed by the line, and no estimates are made, or kept centrally.

Advertising Campaigns

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his Department's total spending was on advertising and promotional campaigns between April 2002 and March 2003; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to (a) television, (b) radio and (c) print media. [106443]

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Mr. Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created on 29 May 2002.

From May 2002 to end March 2003 the total spending on advertising and promotional campaigns was £3,718,767 (ex VAT).

Of this, the spend of individual campaigns on (a) television, (b) radio and (c) print media was as follows (all figures are ex VAT):

Fire Safety

Action Plan (September 2002-November 2002)














Asylum Support

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what help will be given to district councils that have asylum seekers in respect of (a) housing, (b) health and (c) education. [107332]

Mr. Raynsford: In respect of housing, the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has entered into contracts with the private and public sector to provide accommodation for destitute asylum seekers. Only local authorities contracted to NASS would be asked to provide accommodation for asylum seekers placed in their areas. Other district councils would not be required to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.

Only upper tier authorities are responsible for providing education and healthcare. People applying for asylum in the UK are entitled to full use of the NHS without charge. Primary Care Trusts are the statutory organisations responsible for providing their residents—including asylum seekers—with health care and are funded directly to enable them to achieve this. Local education authorities fund the education service and receive most of their funding through general grant.

Council Tax

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research his Department has undertaken into the ability to pay of (a) pensioners and (b) low waged households in England in relation to the council tax. [108425]

Mr. Leslie: We have not undertaken such research. However, council tax benefit, administered by the Department for Work and Pensions, is available to help low income households pay their council tax. Council tax benefit is paid to around 3.9 million households in England, of which around 2 million are pensioners.

14 Apr 2003 : Column 497W

In addition, central Government surveys collect some relevant information on an ongoing basis. The Expenditure and Food Survey, for example, collects information on the percentage of household income that is spent on local taxes, and information is available for each income decile.

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average council tax as a percentage of the average (a) wage and (b) state pension in England was in each financial year since 1997. [108426]

Mr. Leslie: The following table gives figures for the average council tax per dwelling (net of council tax benefit) as percentages of average gross earnings and of the full basic state pension for each year since 1997–98.

It should be noted, however, that the figures given do not necessarily reflect the relative abilities of wage earners and pensioners to pay council tax. Gross earnings and basic state pension figures are not comparable as measures of income, and neither of them can be said to represent disposable income. Gross earnings figures are, for example, before tax and other deductions, whereas the basic state pension represents a relatively small proportion of the income received by many pensioners. Furthermore, it has been assumed, in the absence of precise information, that reductions in council tax as a result of council tax benefit are spread evenly across all council taxpayers, whereas it is likely that, in reality, pensioners are assisted by benefit to a greater extent than wage earners.

Average net council tax per dwelling as a percentage of average gross earnings(6)Average net council tax per dwelling as a percentage of full basic state pension(7)
1997–983.017.4
1998–993.118.2
1999–20003.218.9
2000–013.219.9
2001–023.219.7
2002–033.420.5
2003–04Not available22.5

Sources:

(6) Office for National Statistics—Average gross weekly earnings for all ages based on full-time employees whose pay was unaffected by absence (figures are for Great Britain).

(7) Department for Work and Pension—based on basic state pension for under-80s (Great Britain).

Mr. Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to raise the level of council tax as a percentage of total revenue expenditure. [108750]

Mr. Raynsford: The Government have no such plans. Decisions on council tax levels are a matter for individual local authorities, after consulting their council tax payers.

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the 10 district councils in England with the largest rise in council tax for this year. [108983]

Mr. Leslie: The 10 English non-metropolitan district councils with the largest percentage increase in their

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own Band D council tax (excluding local precepts) between 2002–03 and 2003–04 are, in descending order:











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