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Written Answers
Tuesday, 16th March 1999.
Government Borrowing
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
- (a) why the United Kingdom regards borrowing from the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund as counting against the public sector borrowing requirement and the general government financial deficit, while 13 of the other members of the EU do not do so; (b) whether steps are being taken to change the definition so that such loans do not count in the future; and (c) if no steps are being taken to do so, why this is.[HL1394]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: All central and local government current and capital expenditure, including that financed by borrowing from the EIB, scores in General Government Net Borrowing (GGNB) and the Public Sector Net Cash Requirement (PSNCR). Expenditure by public corporations, including that financed by borrowing from the EIB, only scores in the PSNCR.
Private sector borrowing from the EIB does not count in the calculation of GGNB or the PSNCR.
The calculation of GGNB is prescribed by the European System of Accounts (ESA95), which is mandatory in all EU member states for certain purposes. The UK practice is fully in line with the requirements of the ESA95.
The EIF, unlike the EIB, does not provide loans. It provides guarantees and equity investment. In the UK, such EIF support would normally be to the private sector and so it would not score in GGNB or PSNCR.
The PSNCR is a specific UK measure. It is not prescribed in the ESA95. Other countries may have no equivalent or may calculate any equivalent in different ways.
No steps are being taken to change the definition of GGNB and PSNCR in this regard as GGNB and PSNCR are designed to measure general government's or the public sector's need to borrow from outside general government or the public sector in the UK.
VAT
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 18 February (WA 83) concerning the freedom of the United Kingdom over VAT coverage and rates, whether Parliament is (a) free to extend the coverage of the zero rate of VAT; (b) to reduce the coverage of VAT; (c) to reduce the main rate to 10 per cent; and (d) to reduce the lower rate to 2.5 per cent.[HL1388]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: As I explained in my previous answer on 18 February (WA 83), the VAT regimes of all EC member states, including the United Kingdom, have operated within the framework provided by the European Community's Sixth VAT Directive for the last 22 years. This means that the UK Parliament: (a) can make marginal adjustments to existing VAT zero rates, but cannot introduce new ones, or significantly extend those we already have; (b) can make marginal reductions in the coverage of VAT; (c) will not be able to reduce the standard rate of VAT below 15 per cent. when the proposed directive renewing the provision on the minimum EC standard rate of VAT has been approved; and (d) cannot introduce a reduced VAT rate of less than 5 per cent.
Welfare Payments: Cost
Lord Gilmour of Craigmillar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish figures for the 1998-99 financial year (or the latest year for which figures are available) estimating the costs to the Exchequer, in cash benefits and revenue foregone, of (a) social security benefits, housing benefit, council tax benefit and education and employment grants, allowances and loans; (b) income tax allowances; and (c) income tax reliefs.[HL1280]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Details of the costs to the Exchequer of these items can be found in the following publications, which are available in the House Library:
- social security benefits
- Pre-Budget Report (Table B12), November 1998 (Cm 4076)
- housing benefit
- DSS Departmental Annual Report 1998 (Table 3)
- council tax benefit
- Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 1998-99 (Section 6), April 1998 (Cm 3901)
- education and employment, grants allowances and loans
- DfEE Departmental Annual Report 1998, and Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 1998-99 (Sections 5 and 6), April 1998 (cm 3901)
- income tax allowances
- Inland Revenue Statistics 1998
- income tax reliefs
- Inland Revenue Statistics 1998.
Palestinian Authority Legal System: Funding
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How much of the bilateral aid to the Palestinian Authority is earmarked for improving their legal system and the capacity of their non-governmental organisations to monitor and report on human rights problems, including those arising from a lack of due process.[HL1435]
Baroness Amos: Around £1.7 million (21 per cent.) of DFID's current bilateral programme to the West Bank and Gaza is allocated to projects designed to improve the Palestinian Authority legal system. We are also spending some £72,000 on human rights projects through our Small Grants Scheme. These projects are targeted specifically on helping to develop the capacity of Palestinian NGOs to monitor human rights problems.
In addition, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is providing £350,000 for projects targeting a range of different human rights issues in the West Bank and Gaza. DFID also funds 14 per cent. of the European Commission's West Bank and Gaza programme, which
has allocated 7 million ecu (nearly £5 million) to human rights projects.Good Governance: Aid Budget
Baroness Rawlings asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which projects received what funds from the United Kingdom aid budget towards good governance in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99.[HL1137]
Baroness Amos: Information on policy targeting is available from DFID's Policy Information Marker System (PIMS) for bilateral projects with a commitment value of £100,000 or more. PIMS covers around 70 per cent. of bilateral expenditure only. On 1 April 1998, the definition of good government changed to exclude human rights, which are now covered separately in an extended definition which includes economic and social rights as well as civil and political rights. For comparison purposes, the attached listing therefore includes all projects which targeted good government as a principal policy objective in 1997-98 and those which targeted either good governance or human rights as a principal policy objective in 1998-99 to date.
| Country | Project/Programme Title | Commitment 1998-99 |
| Asia Regional | Participatory Action Research with Migrant Children and Youth | 245,000 |
| Bangladesh | Community Development II | 350,000 |
| China | China: Shanghai Foster Care and Training Project | 621,016 |
| Colombia | Civil Conflict (New PHS) | 149,905 |
| Ghana | WSIP Water Sector Improvement Sector | 4,065,000 |
| HPD Individual Contracts | UK Financial Contribution to the Population Council | 200,000 |
| India | Support to ILO for the Elimination of Child Poverty | 2,500,000 |
| Indonesia | Complimentary Feeding Programme | 1,250,000 |
| Mozambique | National Child Rights Programme | 128,350 |
| Rwanda | ICRC Detainee Protection Activities in Rwanda | 350,000 |
| South Africa, Republic of | Support to the South African San Institute (SASI) and the SA | 535,500 |
| Uganda | Disabled People | 121,450 |
| Zambia | Zambia Primary Reading Programme | 10,205,000 |
| Commitment | |||||
| Country | Project/Programme title | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | ||
| Africa Regional | Commonwealth Local Government Forum | 149,460 | |||
| Aid and Soc. Pol. Ind. Cntrcts. | Commonwealth Local Government Good Practice Scheme | 483,000 | |||
| Aid and Soc. Pol. Ind. Cntrcts. | Debt Strategy and Analysis Capacity--Building Programme | 400,000 | |||
| Aid and Soc. Pol. Ind. Cntrcts. | New Models of Accessible Justice and Penal Reform in Develop | 650,000 | |||
| Aid and Soc. Pol. Ind. Cntrcts. | Commonwealth Secretariat Y2K | 250,000 | |||
| Aid and Soc. Pol. Ind. Cntrcts. | Promoting and Protecting Human Rights, Peace and Development | 225,000 | |||
| Albania | Local Government Finance and Development | 450,000 | |||
| Asia Regional | Regional Working Group on Child Labour | 139,374 | |||
| Asia Regional | Participatory Action Research with Migrant Children and Youth | 245,000 | |||
| Asia Regional | Dev. of Inst. Capacity for Demand Reduction Among High Risk G | 1,068,000 | |||
| Asia Regional | Programme to Build the Advocacy Capacity of South East Asian | 175,000 | |||
| Bangladesh | Good Government Small Projects | 250,000 | |||
| Bangladesh | Private Sector Infrastructure Development Project | 5,800,000 | |||
| Bangladesh | Managing at the Top | 2,400,000 | |||
| Bangladesh | Microfinance Institutions | 120,000 | |||
| Bangladesh | Financial Management Academy Project | 2,917,000 | |||
| Bangladesh | Reforms in Government Audit | 885,000 | |||
| Bangladesh | Community Development II | 350,000 | |||
| Belize | Financial Management Development Programme | 405,300 | |||
| Belize | Financial Management Development Programme | 842,500 | |||
| Bosnia | Radio and TV Skills Course for Journalists and Technicians | 232,000 | |||
| Botswana | Technical Assistance to the Roads Dept. (Phase III) | 2,740,000 | |||
| Brazil | Street girls' education and training centre and residence home | 194,437 | |||
| Bulgaria | National Social Security Institute Project | 392,000 | |||
| Burundi | BDI-98--1/N20: Human Rights Monitoring Mission | 750,000 | |||
| Cambodia | Support for Elections (New PHS) | 500,000 | |||
| Caribbean | Caribbean--Financial Investigation Expert Team | 3,000,000 | |||
| Caribbean | Caribbean management development association: Capacity build | 210,000 | |||
| Caribbean | Trade Union Training (JPS 1367) | 163,365 | |||
| Caribbean | Caribbean Regional--Penal Reform Project | 500,000 | |||
| China | Shanghai Municipal Finance Reform Project (Phase III) | 1,500,000 | |||
| China | China: Shanghai Foster Care and Training Project | 621,016 | |||
| Colombia | Civil Conflict (New PHS) | 149,905 | |||
| Dept. of Environment | Road Planning, funding and funds allocation | 117,674 | |||
| Dominica | Public Sector Development Project | 399,000 | |||
| East Africa | Training and Capacity Building Program | 224,577 | |||
| Eng. Div. Indiv. Contracts | Environmental Capacity to Assist Plan (R6861) for sust. dev. | 110,000 | |||
| Eng. Div. Indiv. Contracts | Design and Implementation of a Model Scheme of Assistance to S | 192,583 | |||
| Ethiopia | Assistance to Parliament (new PHS) | 187,500 | |||
| Gambia, The | Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building for the Na | 200,000 | |||
| Ghana | Disability and Development plan JFS 134s | 195,041 | |||
| Ghana | WSIP Water Sector Improvement Sector | 4,065,000 | |||
| Grenada | Grenada Customs | 400,000 | |||
| HPD Individual Contracts | UK Financial Contribution to the Population Council | 200,000 | |||
| India | Andhra Pradesh Urban Services for the Poor Project | 66,086,000 | |||
| India | Initial Support for Public Sector Reform in Orissa | 10,000,000 | |||
| India | Training Development Programme for the Indian Police | 1,400,000 | |||
| India | Public Administration Training Programme | 1,600,000 | |||
| India | Support to ILO for the Elimination of Child Poverty | 2,500,000 | |||
| India | Technical Assistance for APERP | 4,700,000 | |||
| India | Initial Support for Public Sector Reform in Orissa | 9,000,000 | |||
| India | Andhra Pradesh Urban Services for the Poor Project | 28,327,000 | |||
| Indonesia | ILO Trade Unions | 1,000,000 | |||
| Indonesia | Complimentary Feeding Programme | 1,250,000 | |||
| Indonesia | World Bank Health Sector Review | 200,000 | |||
| Jamaica | Jamaica Police Development Project | 2,000,000 | |||
| Jamaica | Jamaica, Support to the Office of Utilities Regulation (New P | 400,000 | |||
| Jamaica | Ministry Reviews | 400,000 | |||
| Kenya | 1998 Demographic Health Survey | 100,000 | |||
| Kenya | Development Training Programme | 380,845 | |||
| Kenya | Institutional Dev. Support to Kenya Institute of Admin. (KIA) | 627,938 | |||
| Kenya | Monitoring of 1997 Kenya General Elections | 351,250 | |||
| Kenya | Information and Communications Systems Support to the East A | 139,918 | |||
| Kenya | Support to the Office of the Attorney General, Kenya | 438,600 | |||
| Kenya | Civil Service Reform Support Project | 175,000 | |||
| Kenya | Support for Year 2000 Compliances in East Africa | 125,000 | |||
| Kenya | Support to Implement Beijing Platform for Action Ph2 | 513,000 | |||
| Latvia | Latvia Non-state Pensions | 120,000 | |||
| Lesotho | Department of land survey | 759,352 | |||
| Lesotho | Department of lands and surveys and physical | 390,000 | |||
| Lesotho | Governance Assistance Project: Salaries Review Commission | 590,000 | |||
| Lesotho | Lesotho Governance Assistance Project | 660,000 | |||
| Lesotho | Community Safety and Security Project | 750,000 | |||
| Malawi | Custom Support Project Phase II (CUSP II) | 1,554,000 | |||
| Malawi | Customs Support Project Phase II (CUSP) | 1,696,000 | |||
| Malawi | Support to Malawi Census | 500,000 | |||
| Malawi | DEDZA Sustainable Livelihoods | 1,990,000 | |||
| Malawi | Agricultural Rehabilitation Project for the Prison Service | 160,934 | |||
| Malawi | Adviser to Chief Elections Officer | 100,000 | |||
| Montserrat | Construction of Emergency Prison Facilities | 1,200,000 | |||
| Montserrat | Temporary Accommodation for Government Offices Project | 370,000 | |||
| Montserrat | Transfer of Prisoners to TCI, the UK and Other Islands | 250,000 | |||
| Mozambique | Assistance to the NGO forum of Zambezia | 155,334 | |||
| Mozambique | Integrated development of community water supply schemes | 286,389 | |||
| Mozambique | Institutional Strengthening in Zambezia to Support the Decen | 500,000 | |||
| Mozambique | National Child Rights Programme | 128,350 | |||
| Namibia | Public Service Efficiency and Charter Unit | 701,000 | |||
| Nepal | Enhancing the Effectiveness of the State and Civil Society | 250,000 | |||
| Non Specific Country | Humanitarian Intervention in times of Conflict and Human Rights | 128,029 | |||
| Non Specific Country | Support to office of United Nations High Commissioner for human rights | 2,500,000 | |||
| NRED Individual Contracts | Seeking Connections: Linking Learning with Policy Formulation | 225,000 | |||
| Pakistan | FBS: Support to Pakistan Integrated Household Survey | 164,500 | |||
| Pakistan | Strategic Review of the Planning Process | 200,000 | |||
| Peru | Developing Developers | 202,514 | |||
| Poland | Journalist training programme BBC Polish Service | 241,000 | |||
| Poland | Public Investment in Rural Infrastructure | 400,000 | |||
| Poland | Warsaw Palace of Culture | 250,000 | |||
| Romania | Institutional Support for Ministry of Labour and Soc. Protect. | 238,000 | |||
| Romania | Support BNS Trade Unions | 150,000 | |||
| Romania | Capital Markets Review | 405,000 | |||
| Romania | Support for the Development of Probation Services | 1,446,830 | |||
| Russian Federation | Assistance to the Media Law and Policy Centre | 165,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Assistance to the New Perspectives Foundation (NPF) | 150,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Assistance to the Russian Bureau of Economic Analysis | 1,500,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Charities Aid Foundation Small Medium Projects Scheme (CAF) | 1,165,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Development of Political Awareness Amongst Young People | 1,536,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Foundation for Legal Reform | 250,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Municipal Finance Moscow | 1,900,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Parliamentary Co-operation Programme (PACOP) | 300,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Russia UK General Elections Study visits | 150,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Russia: Ekaterinburg Media Skills | 744,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Training Videos for Russian journalists | 380,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Development of Social Services for Vulnerable Groups-Democra | 180,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Marshall Plan of the Mind (Phase IV) | 2,100,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Moscow School of Political Studies | 310,000 | |||
| Russian Federation | Judicial Support Project | 650,000 | |||
| Rwanda | Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme | 1,000,000 | |||
| Rwanda | RWA-98 1/14 Human Rights | 2,000,000 | |||
| Rwanda | ICRC Detainee Protection Activities in Rwanda | 350,000 | |||
| Serbia | Serbia Financial Sector | 208,000 | |||
| Serbia | Good Governance Project Fund | 250,000 | |||
| Sierra Leone | Public Service Reform Project | 1,200,000 | |||
| Sierra Leone | Media Development Project | 1,100,000 | |||
| Sierra Leone | Support to Government of Sierra Leone Taskforce | 1,000,000 | |||
| Sierra Leone | Commonwealth Development Police Task Force for Sierra Leone | 800,000 | |||
| Sierra Leone | Law Development Project | 2,200,000 | |||
| Slovak Republic | DfEE Proposal for Assistance to the MOLSAF and new NLO | 226,000 | |||
| Slovak Republic | Assistance to Local Government Reform (Phase III) | 895,000 | |||
| South Africa, Republic of | Local government Support Programme (LGSP) | 1,030,000 | |||
| South Africa, Republic of | Presidential Review Commission | 335,275 | |||
| South Africa, Republic of | To develop effective human resources, develop water and forestry | 250,000 | |||
| South Africa, Republic of | Support to the South African San Institute (SASI) and the SA | 535,500 | |||
| South Africa, Republic of | Customs Transformation Project | 9,000,000 | |||
| South Africa, Republic of | Integrated Provincial Support Programme | 125,000 | |||
| South Africa, Republic of | Support to the Commission on Gender Equality | 600,000 | |||
| Sri Lanka | UNICEF Programme | 1,714,800 | |||
| St. Lucia | Customs Reform and Modernisation | 544,000 | |||
| Sthrn Af Dev Coord Ctte | SARPCCO Regional Police Training Initiative | 113,000 | |||
| Sthrn Af Dev Coord Ctte | Assistance to small-scale rights-based initiatives | 100,000 | |||
| Tanzania | A water sanitation and hygiene development plan | 231,399 | |||
| Tanzania | Kieto district water programme | 174,391 | |||
| Tanzania | Participatory Animal Health Project | 274,450 | |||
| Tanzania | Support to Records Management | 1,666,100 | |||
| Tanzania | Tanzania Revenue Authority Support Project (TRASP) | 220,000 | |||
| Tanzania | Personnel Controls and Information Systems Project: Phase 2 | 2,458,033 | |||
| Tanzania | Development of the RoadMentor Maintenance Management | 211,706 | |||
| Tanzania | Information and communications Systems Support to the East A | 139,918 | |||
| Tanzania | Support for Year 2000 Compliance in East Africa | 100,000 | |||
| Tanzania | Local Government Reform Support Project | 500,000 | |||
| Tanzania | Personnel Controls and Information Systems Project: Phase 2 | 1,315,970 | |||
| Tanzania | Community Development Programme Mta Mburuhalti Barafu Kinon-D | 131,642 | |||
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Geographical Information Systems | 412,000 | |||
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Grand Turk Police Station | 973,426 | |||
| Turks and Caicos Islands | TCO Attorney General | 1,943,113 | |||
| Turks and Caicos Islands | TCO Economic Adviser | 140,000 | |||
| Turks and Caicos Islands | TCO Government Architect | 140,000 | |||
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Police Development Project | 902,000 | |||
| Uganda | District Council Strengthening Project | 200,000 | |||
| Uganda | Education Sector Strategy Plan | 580,600 | |||
| Uganda | Support to Local Government Elections | 250,000 | |||
| Uganda | Support to Records Management Phase 3 | 572,430 | |||
| Uganda | Support to the office of the Controller and Auditor General | 830,000 | |||
| Uganda | Sector Approach for Agriculture | 225,000 | |||
| Uganda | Information and Communications Systems Support to the East A | 139,918 | |||
| Uganda | Support to Uganda Parliament | 312,375 | |||
| Uganda | Support for the Year 2000 Compliance in East Africa | 100,000 | |||
| Uganda | Disabled People | 121,450 | |||
| Uganda | Community Development Programme | 123,642 | |||
| Ukraine | Assistance to the Broadcast Media--TV Training Programme | 227,723 | |||
| Ukraine | Civil Service Reform | 164,561 | |||
| Ukraine | Corporate Governance IFC | 250,000 | |||
| Ukraine | Land Privatisation Phase 3 | 1,689,802 | |||
| Ukraine | UK Election Study Tour | 208,193 | |||
| Ukraine | Ukraine: Kiev Mohyla Academy: Law Faculty Development Project | 500,000 | |||
| West Bank and Gaza | Palestinian Legislative Council Library | 230,000 | |||
| West Bank and Gaza | Population Census | 962,500 | |||
| West Bank and Gaza | Unification and Development of Legislation | 770,000 | |||
| West Bank and Gaza | Strengthening of Parliamentary Democracy | 775,000 | |||
| Yugoslavia | Budgetory Aid to New Government | 1,000,000 | |||
| Yugoslavia | SCF Developing Child Welfare Protection and Rights | 200,000 | |||
| Zambia | Public Sector Reform Programme Phase 1 | 425,000 | |||
| Zambia | Zimbabwe Women's Civic Education project | 987,517 | |||
| Zambia | Assistance to the Zambia Electoral Commission for Local Govv | 100,000 | |||
| Zambia | Zambia Primary Reading Programme | 10,205,000 | |||
| Zimbabwe | Agricultural Services & Management Project | 4,500,000 | |||
| Zimbabwe | Support to CSO for development of economic statistics | 240,000 | |||
| Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe Republic Police Organisation Development Project | 2,787,000 | |||
| Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe Womens Civic Education Project | 987,517 | |||
| Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe Public Service Reforms | 235,000 | |||
| Zimbabwe | Privatisation Agency Support Project | 1,709,300 | |||
| Zimbabwe | Land Rovers For Zimbabwe Police ATP Project (LANPOL) | 8,411,000 | |||
| Zimbabwe | Privatisation Agency Support Project | 339,100 | |||
| Zimbabwe | Study of Market for Basic Commodities | 120,000 | |||
| Zimbabwe | Land Rovers for Zimbabwe Police ATP Project (LANPOL) | 200,000 | |||
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