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BSE
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will update, in respect of the first
11 weeks of 1997, the figures for the number of reported and confirmed cases of BSE as set out in their written Answer of 23 January 1997 (H.L. Deb., WA 67-70).
Lord Lucas: The following table shows the number of cases confirmed during the first 11 weeks of 1997 with a moving annual total of cases reported.
| Week number | 52 week total | Number confirmed each week |
| 1 | 10,466 | 80 |
| 2 | 10,297 | 203 |
| 3 | 10,132 | 167 |
| 4 | 9,917 | 136 |
| 5 | 9,702 | 103 |
| 6 | 9,508 | 121 |
| 7 | 9,315 | 179 |
| 8 | 9,177 | 140 |
| 9 | 9,015 | 114 |
| 10 | 8,854 | 133 |
| 11 | 8,636 | 16 |
Variable Pesticide Residues
Lord Annaly asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the results of the second survey of variable pesticides residues are now available.
Lord Lucas: The results of the second survey of variable pesticide residues were announced on 14 March. A copy of the announcement and of the supporting documents have been placed in the Library of the House.
The survey results show that levels of residues in the majority of fruit and vegetables fall well below recommended Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). However, a small number of apples and peaches, including imports, had higher residues than is desirable. We will be reporting these results in full to the Codex Alimentarius Commission so that they can instigate international action to further ensure consumer protection.
A large safety margin is built into the figures used when setting what can be regarded as an acceptable level. The Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Professor Sir Colin Berry, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, have issued statements which make clear that the results of the second survey for variable residues do not change government advice that fruit and vegetables remain a key component of a healthy diet.
"Agriculture in the United Kingdom"
Lord Annaly asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they expect the latest volume of Agriculture in the United Kingdom to be published.
Lord Lucas: Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1996 was published today and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
Asylum Seekers: Local Authority Support
Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the answers given by Baroness Cumberlege to Earl Russell and to Lord Pearson of Rannoch (H.L. Deb., 25 February 1997, cols. 1038 and 1039), what items account for the difference between "full" and "reasonable" reimbursement of local authority expenditure on asylum seekers, and why reimbursement is to be withheld for those items.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege): The grant is based on a unit cost.
Local authorities may claim for any expenditure lawfully incurred in accommodating adult asylum seekers under Section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948. They will be reimbursed for that claim in full provided it does not, on an average weekly cost basis, exceed the unit cost figure of £165 per week per person (plus a discretionary addition for infrastructure costs) which the Government believe to be a reasonable level of expenditure.
House of Commons Medal Collection
Lord Marlesford asked the Chairman of Committees:
- Whether he will make representations with a view to ensuring that the medal collection on display in the
- medal corridor of the House of Commons is updated by the addition of the Falkland and Gulf War medals.
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Boston of Faversham): While the House of Commons medal collection is a matter for the House of Commons Administration Committee and the collection is not intended to be comprehensive, the South Atlantic medal, which was awarded for the Falkland war, is included in the display. I understand that a request for a specimen of the Gulf medal 1990-91 will be made to the Army Medal Office by the Authorities of the House of Commons.
Environment Agency Charging Schemes
Lord Skelmersdale asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What will be the Environment Agency Charging Schemes for 1997-98 for regulating industry under Integrated Pollution Control and under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993.
The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Earl Ferrers): The Environment Act 1995 requires the Environment Agency to make charging schemes to recover the cost of carrying out its regulatory functions.
With the consent of the Treasury and, for the charging scheme for regulation under the Radioactive Substances Act, with the consent of my right honourable friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and, following consultation with those who are likely to be affected by the schemes, the Environment Agency has now made charging schemes for 1997-98 for regulating industry under Integrated Pollution Control and under the Radioactive Substances Act. The schemes will take effect from 1 April 1997. I have placed copies of them in the Library.
The subsistence charge for Integrated Pollution Control has been set at £1,755 in order to effect full cost recovery. This is a reduction of £50 on the charge in 1996-97. There are some minor changes to the charging schemes. Copies of the schemes will be sent to the relevant operators and to other interested bodies shortly.
Ordnance Survey: Performance Targets
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What performance targets have been set for the Ordnance Survey Executive Agency in the year 1997-98.
Earl Ferrers: The following performance targets have been set for Ordnance Survey in 1997-98: 1. To recover at least 86 per cent. of the costs incurred by the Agency, representing an increase of 3 per cent. 2. To ensure that, by 31 March 1998, 97 per cent. of existing major detail is surveyed and
available to customers in the National Topographic Database at any one time--an increase of 1 per cent. over 1996-97. The target will increase to 99 per cent. by the year 2002. 3. In order to provide a quality service to customers, to despatch products in response to orders as follows: 95 per cent. of all Land-Line digital map units within five working days--reduced from six days; and 92 per cent. of small scale products within five working days--an increase of 2 per cent. 4. To increase by 3 per cent. the annual revenue earned per number of staff employed.These targets are closely associated with the main Corporate Aims of Ordnance Survey and demonstrate the agency's continuing commitment to customers and to improved value for money for all its stakeholders. These more stringent targets represent significant improvements and will deliver an increasing level of services.
Community Alarm Systems
Lord Lyell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What plans they have following their recent consultation exercise on local authorities' powers to provide community alarm systems.
Earl Ferrers: Having carefully considered the more than 100 responses received to our consultation, we have concluded that local authorities should be empowered to provide community alarms to anyone who is resident in their area, and that they should be able to charge for such services. Community alarms can help the elderly to continue to live in their own homes, disabled people to lead independent lives, and can also be useful in tackling crimes such as repeat burglary, domestic violence or racial harassment. We intend to bring forward legislation at the next convenient opportunity.
Access Fund Payments to Students:Child Maintenance Liability
Earl Russell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether money made available to a student facing financial hardship, and taken from access funds administered by the student's college, is exempt from assessment by the Child Support Agency for purposes of child maintenance.
The Minister of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish): One-off payments from access funds are ignored in the assessment of child support maintenance. Regular payments would be taken into account, but absent parents who are students are generally assessed to pay only small amounts of maintenance or nothing at all.
Lloyd's: Tax Charged and Repaid
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will give, on a constant price basis using the price index of gross domestic product at market prices (using the October to December quarter for 1996) the net tax paid by, or repaid to, underwriting members of Lloyd's during each of the 14 tax years 1982-1983 to 1995-96 and during the first 11 months of the tax year 1996-97.
Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish: The following table shows, on the constant price basis requested, (a) the total tax charged on individuals as initial assessments, including estimated assessments, made during each tax year for underwriting profits and gains and (b) the total of income tax and capital gains tax repaid to individual Lloyd's underwriters by the underwriters unit of Inland Revenue in each tax year, including any repayment supplement attracted by the tax refunded. The level of repayments in the last few years (1991-92 onwards) reflects insurance losses incurred at Lloyd's. The tax
repaid was originally paid by the underwriters in earlier years on income and gains from either Lloyd's or non-Lloyd's underwriters in earlier years on income and gains from either Lloyd's or non-Lloyd's sources.| Tax year | Tax assessed at 1996 Q4 prices | Tax repaid at 1996 Q4 prices |
| 1982-83 | 180.3 | 45.5 |
| 1983-84 | 262.8 | 153.1 |
| 1984-85 | 261.5 | 148.4 |
| 1985-86 | 295.1 | 100.1 |
| 1986-87 | 319.6 | 251.1 |
| 1987-88 | 226.9 | 231.5 |
| 1988-89 | 219.4 | 220.0 |
| 1989-90 | 403.3 | 154.3 |
| 1990-91 | 280.4 | 111.8 |
| 1991-92 | 117.5 | 146.3 |
| 1992-93 | 11.4 | 428.5 |
| 1993-94 | 4.0 | 516.4 |
| 1994-95 | 9.4 | 397.4 |
| 1995-96 | 4.0 | 207.9 |
| First eleven months of 1996-97 | 7.3 | 80.1 |