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Written Answers
Wednesday, 18th March 1998.
Turkey: Human Rights Undertakings
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What document contains the undertakings given by Turkey concerning human rights and democracy at the time of ratification of the Customs Union with the European Union; and what individual or group within the European Union has responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the undertaking.[HL957]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): There is no document containing any commitments concerning human rights and democracy from Turkey at the time of the entry into force of the Customs Union with the European Community. The then Turkish Prime Minister, Mrs. Ciller, wrote to the European Parliament at the time of the ratification of the Customs Union Treaty, in December 1995, acknowledging that Turkey needed to make further progress in the field of human rights. The Commission is responsible for overseeing the functioning of that Customs Union, including progress on human rights reform. The Commission's latest report to the European Parliament on this subject was submitted on 4 March 1998.
Livestock Farm Incomes
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What has been the decline in livestock farming incomes:
(a) in the United Kingdom as a whole, and
(b) in Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall,
for the years 1995, 1996, and 1997.[HL954]
The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue): Incomes for the various types of livestock farms in the United Kingdom are given below:
Source:
Farm Business Survey.
The sample size of the Farm Business Survey is too small to derive the information requested for individual counties.
Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Donoughue: The Environment Agency has powers under Section 210 and Schedule 25 to the Water Resources Act 1991 to make by-laws regulating fishing for salmon and sea trout.
Lord Luke asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Donoughue: The telephone enquiry line for the Phillips Inquiry is now based in Hercules House, Lambeth North, London SE1 7DU. From 22 December 1997 until 20 February 1998, the line was based in the offices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Whitehall Place. At no time has the line been manned by Ministry staff.
Lord Luke asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Donoughue: None of the staff manning the telephone enquiry line is a serving or past employee of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
The Earl of Mar and Kellie asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: No.
Lord Hardy of Wath asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The tables below set out Customs' estimate of revenue losses (duty and VAT) to the Exchequer through cross-Channel smuggling of alcohol drinks and tobacco products in calendar years 1996 and 1997.
Notes:
Figures have been independently rounded to £5 million. Components may not therefore sum to the totals given.
Figures are given for the mid-point of the range of possible substitution effects. Customs assumes that 70-80 per cent. of smuggled alcohol (100 per cent. for tobacco products) substitutes for similar purchases in the UK.
Notes:
Figures have been independently rounded to £5 million. Components may not therefore sum to the totals given.
Figures are given for the mid-point of the range of possible substitution effects. Customs assumes that 70-80 per cent. of smuggled alcohol (100 per cent. for tobacco products) substitutes for similar purchases in the UK.
There are no official estimates for the period prior to 1996. There are no official estimates for the revenue lost through smuggling in freight consignments or by air passengers, and the estimates given above do not include any amounts for these activities.
Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Yes, we do intend to place the 1996-97 Fraud Report on the Treasury's Internet site in due course. Hard copies of the report are now available from the Treasury's Public Enquiry Unit on 0171-270-4558.
Lord Holmpatrick asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Yes, only in respect of payments to handgun owners who are registered for Value Added Tax. Compulsory transfers of ownership of property against payments of compensation clearly fall within the scope of Value Added Tax.
If the surrendered guns are second-hand they may be eligible for inclusion in the special margin scheme for second-hand goods. This is a special scheme in which VAT is due only on the seller's profit margin rather than the full value of the goods. As the margin is the amount by which the selling price exceeds the purchase price, it follows that no VAT will be due on any goods sold at a loss.
Under the Value Added Tax rules, VAT registered gun owners should account for tax at the time their guns are surrendered. However, as a concession, Customs have agreed that owners will not have to account for tax until the time the compensation payments are received.
Lord Rowallan asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Estimates based on the information available centrally are set out in the following table:
*Including OPS.
£/farm 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Percentage change 1997-98 on 1996-97
Dairy 34,600 28,000 17,900 -36
LFA cattle and sheep 14,300 14,200 8,400 -41
Lowland cattle and sheep 8,300 6,800 2,500 -63
Pigs and poultry 51,100 46,400 27,000 -42
Further to the answer by the Lord Carter on 28 January (H.L. Deb., col. 223), under which legislative powers the Environment Agency can make by-laws to protect stocks of salmon and sea trout.[HL992]
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Donoughue on 3 March (WA 157), where the telephone enquiry line by which confidential information may be given to the Phillips Inquiry is now based and where it was based before the recent move of the inquiry offices from Whitehall to premises in London SE1.[HL1033]
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Donoughue on 3 March (WA 157), whether any members of the staff manning the telephone enquiry line by which confidential information may be given to the Phillips Inquiry are currently employees of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF); and whether any of the members of staff have previously been employed by MAFF.[HL1034]
Whether they have set a date for the publication of their proposals for the reform of the House of Lords.[HL1019]
What estimate they have made of the total loss of duty due to smuggling of tobacco products and alcoholic drinks during the last four years.[HL1002]
Product Type Excise Duty VAT Total Revenue Lost
Beer 70 35 105
Wine 35 15 50
Spirits 35 10 45
Total Alcohol 135 60 195
Hand-rolling Tobacco 410 75 485
Cigarettes & other tobacco products 135 25 155
Total Tobacco 540 100 640
TOTAL 680 160 835
Product Type Excise Duty VAT Total Revenue Lost
Beer 80 40 120
Wine 35 15 50
Spirits 20 5 25
Total Alcohol 135 65 195
Hand-rolling Tobacco 430 110 540
Cigarettes & other tobacco products 120 25 145
Total Tobacco 550 135 690
TOTAL 685 200 885
Whether they intend to publish the 1996-97 Fraud Report on the Internet as was done for the 1995-96 Report; and, if not, why not.[HL993]
Whether Value Added Tax is chargeable in respect of compensation payments made to former handgun owners who have surrendered their weapons under any of the options available to them under
the Firearms (Amendment) (No.2) Act 1997 Compensation Scheme.[HL894]
How many civil servants in each department receive a greater rate of pay than the spokesman for that department in the House of Lords.[HL948]
Number of permanent staff paid more
Department First Spokesperson's salary (£ pa) In Department Including Agencies
MAFF 43,632 125 179
DCMS 43,632 20 33
HM C&E 43,632 160 160
MoD 51,838 163 288
DfEE 51,838 57 81
DETR 43,632 154 574
FCO 43,632 472 473
D Health 51,838 232 274
Home Office 43,632 143 400
Inland Revenue 43,632 952 952
DfID 43,632 53 53
Law Off's Dept 78,072 1 1
L Adv's Dept 78,072 1 1
LCD 142,508 0 0
NIO 43,632 19 19
Cabinet Off* 43,632 85 125
Privy Coun Off 58,876 1 1
Scot Office 43,632 182 247
DSS 43,632 111 295
DTI 51,838 157 224
HM Treasury 43,632 77 77
Welsh Office 43,632 70 87
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