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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 29 April 1991
NATIONAL FINANCE
Local Government Finance
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing reconciliations for England, Scotland and Wales between local authority current expenditure as in table 5.8 of Cm. 1520 and the respective aggregate expenditure for grant purposes in successive revenue/(rate) support grant orders.
Mr. Mellor : Following the changes to the local authority finance system, data are no longer held in a form which makes it possible to provide the information requested, except at disproportionate cost. For most years, figures for current expenditure have changed only very slightly from those given to the hon. Member in response to the similar question he asked on 20 July 1990.
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Mr. Dewar : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis for the years 1984-85 to 1993- 94, in as far as practicable in the same format as table 5.1 of Cm. 1520 of aggregate external finance of local authorities, showing (a) changes between table 21.4.3 of Cm. 1021 and table 5.3 of Cm. 1520 and (b) changes between table 5.3 of Cm. 1520 and the "Financial Report and Budget Statement" 1991-92.
Mr. Mellor : The information is set out in the table below. It is on the same basis as the information on differences from Cm. 1021 presented in the statistical supplement to the 1990 autumn statement--that is, it excludes differences arising from changes in the way expenditure is recorded (classification changes) or from transfers between departments or sectors (for example, switching responsibility for expenditure from central Government to local authorities). Figures for 1985-86 and 1986-87 are unchanged. Corresponding analyses of differences between the supplement and the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" are not available. Details of changes since the supplement arising from the community charge reduction scheme and the measures announced on 17 January to reduce the levels of community charges are set out in table 5.2 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report".
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Differences in aggregate external finance between the 1990 public expenditure White Paper and the statistical
supplement to the 1990 autumn
statement
£ million
|1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England
Revenue Support Grant |-70 |-27 |1,617 |1,990
Non domestic payments |31 |108 |115
Magistrates courts |27 |19 |30
Commonwealth Immigrants |30 |10
Probation and aftercare |1 |20 |19 |30
Police |34 |62 |138 |230
Education Support |54 |50
In-service teacher training |5 |-47 |-50
Administration of Housing Benefit<3> |5 |15 |20
Area Protection Grant<4> |2 |10 |40
Other grants |-40 |40 |52 |50
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |31 |38 |84 |191 |1,876 |2,400
Scotland
Revenue Support Grant |9 |16 |268 |260
Non domestic rate payments
Urban programme |-3 |-6 |1
Police |4 |-12 |2
Administration of Housing Benefit<3> |1 |2
Other grants |1 |9 |10
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Wales
Revenue Support Grant
Non domestic rate payments |138 |80
Police |-3 |4 |7 |10
Other grants |1 |3 |4
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |-3 |7 |150 |90
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total Great Britain |31 |38 |92 |197 |2,308 |2,770
<1>The differences shown are differences after adjustments for changes of classification and switches between
departments and spending sectors.
<2>Figures are rounded to the nearest £10 million.
<3>Including Community Charge benefit administration.
<4>Including low rateable value areas grant.
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis using the
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economic categories of table 5.6 of Cm. 1520 of the differences in the years 1984-85 to 1993-94 between the levels of local authority self-financed expenditure underlying (a) table 21.4.11 of Cm 1021 and table 5.11 of Cm. 1520 and (b) table 5.11. of Cm. 1520 and the "Financial Report and Budget Statement" 1991-92.Mr. Mellor : Local authority self-financed expenditure is simply the residual between the level of local authority expenditure (and projections for future years) and the level of central Government support for local authorities (plans for future years). Differences in the levels of local authority self-financed expenditure therefore simply depend on changes in local authority expenditure itself, and in central Government support. Levels of local authority expenditure are shown in table 21.4.6 of Cm. 1021, and table 5.6
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of Cm. 1520 ; differences in the level of central Government support are set out in a previous answer to the hon. Member on 18 April 1991 at column 259.Retail Prices
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing for the period since 1 January 1986 and for the decades 1980-90, 1970-1980 and 1960-1970, the average annual percentage increase in the retail prices of (a) goods other than food and fuel, (b) other goods and services and (c) housing.
Mr. Mellor : The following table gives the available information.
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Retail Prices Index
Average annual percentage increase
|January 1986|January 1980|January 1970|January 1960
|to |to |to |to
|March 1991 |January 1990|January 1980|January 1970
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Goods other than food and fuel
and light<1><2> |5.0 |5.8 |12.5 |3.5
Food, fuel and light and services |4.6 |5.7 |14.5 |4.0
Housing |12.8 |11.9 |13.5 |5.1
<1> Includes vehicle maintenance, tax and insurance prior to 1974.
<2> Including the cost of meals out since 1968.
Manufacturing Investment
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing (a) the amount invested by United Kingdom manufacturing industry in plant and machinery in 1970, 1973, 1979, 1985 and 1989 at 1985 prices, (b) the amount invested per person employed in manufacturing industry in each of those years and (c) the nearest comparable figures for France, Germany, Italy and the United States of America in each case.
Mr. Mellor : The following table provides the available information for the United Kingdom, from the annual census of production. In this case, net capital expenditure means capital purchases net of sales. Investment figures derived from the annual census of production differ slightly from those published in the United Kingdom national accounts because of differences in definition and coverage. There are no directly comparable data available for other countries. OECD publishes comparisons of investment incurred by industry groups, but not for plant and machinery alone.
Net capital expenditure in plant and machinery
in manufacturing industry at 1985 prices in the
United Kingdom
|Total |£ per person
|£ million |employed
----------------------------------------------------
1970 |7,903.7 |983.9
1973 |6,665.9 |862.0
1979 |8,031.3 |1,159.6
1985 |6,881.2 |1,383.0
1988 |8,845.4 |1,793.4
Notes:
1. Orders III to XIX of SIC(68) up to 1979.
Divisions 2-4 of SIC(80) for later years.
2. The latest available census year is 1988.
3. From 1988, in line with accounting practice,
assets leased on a finance leasing basis are
included as assets by the lessee rather than by the
lessor. This is estimated to have increased total
United Kingdom capital expenditure in 1988 by up to
8 per cent.
Source: Annual Census of Production.
Tobacco
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much he expects imports of each tobacco product to increase as a result of the changes in tobacco taxation he announced in his Budget Statement ; and if he will show the increases by percentage and by value for each manufactured product and indicate the country of origin by percentage and value.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The aims of the increases in tobacco taxation announced in the Budget statement include an overall fall in tobacco comsumption, both of United Kingdom manufactured and imported tobacco products to which the increases equally apply. It is too early yet to predict the impact of the tax changes on individual classes of tobacco products, let alone by country of origin.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much he expects the sale of each home-produced tobacco product to decline as a result of the changes in taxation of tobacco products he announced in his Budget statement ; and how many jobs he expects will be lost in each of the counties of the United Kingdom as a result in the present financial year.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : It is estimated that consumption of tobacco products will be about 4 per cent. lower in 1991-92 as a result of the increase in taxation of tobacco products announced in the Budget statement. Reliable estimates are not available for individual products. I cannot predict the impact of these tax changes on jobs in the tobacco industry ; this will depend on a wide range of other factors.
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Manufactures
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the balance of trade with the rest of the European Community in manufactures, including erratics, on a balance of payments at current prices for 1989 and 1990.
Mr. Mellor : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 24 April at column 468 .
Management Consultants
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total sum paid out in fees by the Central Office of Information to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91 and budget for 1991-92.
Mr. Maples : Details of fees paid by the Central Office of Information to management consultants for years 1979-80 to 1988-89 were given in the answer at column 168 on 13 March 1990. Figures for the years 1989-90 to 1991-92 are as follows :
|£
----------------------
1989-90 |71,181
1990-91 |<1>Nil
1991-92 |<2>Nil
<1> Estimate.
<2> Budget.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for each year from 1979-80, including 1991-92, the number of staff actually employed on 1 April and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, by grade, in the statistical divisions in the Treasury ; and if he will differentiate between staff in statistical posts and staff in administrative posts.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information is as follows (budgeted complement given in brackets) :
Staff in statistical divisions<1>
|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92
-----------------------------------------------------------
Unified grade 5<2> |2(2) |2(2) |2(2) |2(2)
Unified grade 7<2> |8(8) |7(8) |8(7) |7(6)
SEO |4(4) |3(4) |2(3) |2(2)
HEO |5(5) |4(5) |5(6) |6(6)
Senior assistant
statistician/
assistant
statistician |4(4) |3(4) |4(4) |4(5)
EO |10(11) |10(11) |12(11) |11(12)
AO/AA |13(13) |15(13) |14(14) |13(13)
|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total |46(47) |44(47) |47(47) |45(46)
Notes: Consistent information, in the form required, is
not available before 1988-89 and could only be produced at
disproportionate cost.
<1> Defined as divisions headed by grade 5 chief
statistician and employed mainly on statistical work.
There are other statisticians posts in Her Majesty's
Treasury which are not included in the above figures.
<2> At the senior levels of the service, where management
forms a major component of most jobs, there are
service-wide common pay and grading arrangements. These
unified grades 1 to 7 are known as the open structure and
cover grades from permanent secretary level to grade 7
level. Within the unified grades there are no formal
barriers to movement between former occupational groups,
eg scientists, administrators, statisticians etc.; each
post should be filled by the person best equipped in terms
of skills, ability and experience.
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Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for each year from 1979-80, including 1991-92, the number of staff actually employed on 1 April and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, by grade, in the statistical divisions in the Central Office of Information ; and if he will differentiate between staff in statistical posts and staff in administrative posts.
Mr. Maples : The Central Office of Information has not had statistical divisions or staff in statistical posts for the years in question. There are no proposals for any such appointments in 1991-92.
Press and Public Relations
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total expenditure by the Central Office of Information on press and public relations in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91 and budget for 1991-92.
Mr. Maples : Details of the cost of the press office of the Central Office of Information for 1979-80 to 1988-89 were given at column 166 on 13 March 1990. The costs for 1989-90 are as follows :
|£
------------------------------
1989-90 |46,612
1990-91 |<1>57,240
1991-92 |<2>54,740
<1> Estimate.
<2> Budget.
ENERGY
Departmental Staff
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give for each year from 1979-80, including 1991-92, the number of staff actually employed on 1 April and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, by grade, in the statistical divisions in his Department ; and if he will differentiate between staff in statistical posts and staff in administrative posts.
Mr. Wakeham : I refer the hon. Member to the replies given on 21 July 1988, 13 March 1989 and 12 March 1990 (at columns 833-36 , 19 and 4 respectively) for the information relating to 1979, 1984, 1988, 1989 and 1990. I regret that information about complements and for staff in post in the intervening years is not available ; the position as at 1 April 1991 when there were no vacancies is :
Grade |Staff
|numbers
----------------------------------------------------
Statistician grades
Chief Statistician |1
Statistician |5
Assistant Statistician |2
|--
Sub-total |8
Economist grades
Senior Economic Advisor |2
Senior Principal Economic Advisor |1
Economic Advisor |8.5
Senior Economic Assistant |2
Economic Assistant |1
|--
Sub-total |14.5
Senior open structure and Administrative grades
Grade 3 |1
Grade 7 |1
Senior Executive Officer |5
Higher Executive Officer |7
Executive Office |13
Senior Personal Secretary |1
Administrative Officer |8
Personal Secretary |4
|--
Sub-total |40
|--
Total |62.5
THE ARTS
Items in Lieu of Tax
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will list the objects and property accepted in satisfaction of inheritence tax during the financial year ended 31 March ; if, in listing these, he will specify (a) the amount of tax satisfied in each case, (b) whether any offers of objects carried conditions as to destination, (c) the dates in each case of the recommendations received by him from the Museums and Galleries Commission for the acceptance of objects, (d) the total for the financial year of the tax thus satisfied and (e) how much of this total was covered in the public accounts by means of resort to the Reserve in accordance with Government policy as announced on 26 July 1985, Official Report, column 779 ; and whether a press notice will be issued by the Office of Arts and Libraries making available the complete list of acceptances during the financial year which is covered in his reply.
Mr. Renton : The information the hon. Member requests is as follows :
Tax |Date MGC
Item |satisfied |recommendations
|£ |received
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Beachey painting<1> | 360 | -
Collections of works by and
relating to John Piper |137,918 |17 October 1989
*Photographs by and of Cecil
Beaton |125,331 |16 June 1990
*Old master drawings by Mirola
Barocci, da Cortona and Reni | 64,490 | 2 May 1990
*Two Raeburn Portraits | 48,439 |18 June 1990
Painting by Sickert | 84,000 |25 October 1990
Shudi Harpsichord | 35,000 |19 June 1990
Collection of Post Office and
Telegraph Stamps |113,000 |16 August 1990
*Collection of paintings and a
George III cabinet |211,522.80 | 6 September 1990
*Collection of paintings and
drawings by Runciman |196,000 |15 February 1991
*Portrait attributed to Reynolds | 20,000 |12 April 1990
A collection of musical
instruments |126,956 |11 January 1991
A collection of papers relating to
George Greenough | 26,600 |11 January 1991
Watercolour by Whistler | 7,000 |11 January 1991
*Two paintings by Nasmyth | 56,000 |19 June 1990
<1> Additional payments for offer accepted in 1989-90.
Notes:
Those offers marked* carried conditions as to their destinations.
The total tax satisfied in the financial year 1990-91 was
£1,252,646.80. There was no recourse to the Contingency Reserve for acceptance in lieu
in 1990-91.
Press notices have already been issued announcing the acceptance of all these items
except for the portrait attributed to Reynolds. An announcement on this will be made by
my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, in due course.
TRANSPORT
Motorways (Lighting)
Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what would be the cost of lighting all Britain's motorway network.
Mr. Chope : The estimated capital cost of lighting the present network in England is in excess of £250 million. The estimated running costs in energy and maintenance would be approximately £30 million per annum.
Drink Driving
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made in reducing drink driving (a) generally and (b) among what were the prime target groups.
Mr. Chope : Considerable progress has been made in our continuing campaign against drinking and driving in changing public attitudes and so reducing the number of road accidents caused by those who drink and drive. In 1980, 32 per cent. of drivers and riders killed in road accidents, whose blood alcohol level was known, were above the legal limit. By 1989 this had fallen to 19 per cent. Among the target groups over the same period this proportion fell from 25 per cent. to 11 per cent. for the 16-to-19 age group and from 41 per cent. to 24 per cent. for the 20-to-29 age group. The reduction has been less marked for older drivers and our campaign has been broadened to address drivers in their early middle age.
HGV Speed Limiters
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what incentives he intends giving to road hauliers to fit speed limiters to heavy goods vehicles on a retrospective basis.
Mr. Chope : None. Many operators have voluntarily fitted speed limiters so as to save fuel and reduce maintenance costs and have found this investment to be well worth while.
LRT
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the authorised capital investment for London Regional Transport in each of the past 15 years.
Mr. Freeman : For the six years 1985-86 to 1990-91, the information is as follows :
Authorised level of capital investment
|£ million cash
---------------------------------------------
1985-86 |184
1986-87 |273
1987-88 |305
1988-89 |365
1989-90 |486
1990-91 |580
We have no comparable data for prior years, when London Transport was under GLC control. Actual capital investment in those years was as follows :
LT Investment/Capital Expenditure
|£ million cash
---------------------------------------------
1976 |74
1977 |64
1978 |66
1979 |100
1980 |123
1981 |147
1982 |127
1983 |168
1984-85<1> |240
<1> 15 month financial year
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 24 April to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central, what are the technical difficulties relating to the day trains for direct services from the channel tunnel to cities north of London ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : I understand from British Rail that there are two main problems. One is the need to avoid the risk of electrical currents from the locomotives interfering with the signalling. The other is the adaptation of the inter-capital train sets, which are too long for stations north of Peterborough and Rugby, so that they have a driving cab in the middle of the train and can be split to operate as two separate trains, while preserving the other characteristics of the train sets. British Rail is investigating with the manufacturers how best to overcome these difficulties and will seek the earliest possible delivery date. As an interim measure, British Rail is examining the possibility of running a few InterCity services from Scotland and the north of England direct to Waterloo to provide a better connection with the inter-capital trains.
ENVIRONMENT
Local Government Finance
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish an analysis showing (i) for the years 1981-82 to 1989-90 grant-related expenditure analysed by standard region ; (ii) for the years 1990-91 and 1991-92 total standard spending and standard spending assessments analysed by standard region (iii) for the years 1981-82 to 1991 -92 aggregate Exchequer finance analysed by standard region and (iv) for the years 1981-82 to 1991-92 central Government support analysed by standard region ; indicating whether this analysis is consistent with section 5 of Cm. 1520 ;
(2) if he will publish tables showing (a) an updated version of the then Secretary of State's written answer of 30 November 1987, Official Report, columns 417-18, concerning the scale of inter-regional transfers through resources equalisation for the years 1981-82 to 1991-92, but identifying separately the contribution of the domestic and non-domestic sectors ; and (b) a parallel inter-regional analysis of needs equalisation measured against a benchmark of equal per capita distribution ;
(3) if he will publish an analysis, consistent with the totals for England and Wales in table 5.2 of Command
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1520, showing (i) an analysis by class of local authority within standard region of the 1990-91 community charge safety net (ii) an analysis by class of authority within standard region of the low rateable value areas grant/area protection grant for the years 1990 -91 to 1993-94 and (iii) an analysis by class of authority within standard region of transitional relief for the years 1990-91 to 1993-94.Mr. Portillo : I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place the associated tables in the Library.
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year from 1967-68 to 1991-92 the aggregate grant percentage for rate revenue support grant ;
(2) if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis for the years 1990-91 and 1991-92 for each county and district council, London borough and for England as a whole (a) the total standard spending and standard spending assessment, (b) the total standard spending and standard spending assessment expressed as pounds per capita, pounds per adult and pounds per community charge unit, (c) the community charge required to be levied to finance standard spending assessment, (d) the "long-run" community charge required to be levied to finance standard spending assessment, (e) the "long-run" community charge required to be levied to finance expenditure 1- 5 and 10 per cent. below and 1-5 and 10 per cent. above standard spending assessment, (f) the proportion of total expenditure which would be financed by government grant at each of the spending levels specified in (e) above, (g) that level of expenditure as a percentage of standard spending assessment which would require a zero community charge and (h) that level of expenditure as a percentage of standard spending assessment which would require a zero "long-run" community charge ;
(3) if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis showing for each English local authority, for each class of local authority, for each standard region and for England as a whole (a) grant-related expenditure in 1989-90, expressed in pounds and pounds per capita, (b) standard spending assessment in 1990-91 and 1991-92, expressed in pounds and pounds per capita, (c) the difference between grant-related expenditure in 1989-90 and standard spending assessment in 1990-91, expressed in pounds and pounds per capita and (d) the "long-run" cost of the difference in (c) above in pounds to be met by community charge payers and the effect in pence on the community charge.
(4) if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis for the years 1966-67 to 1990-91, as far as is practicable consistent with table 1.1 of "Welsh Local Government Financial Statistics No. 14, 1990", of rate fund services revenue account but which also distinguishes (a) non-domestic rate revenue from domestic rate revenue and (b) gross rates, net rates and rate rebate grants.
Mr. Portillo : I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place the associated tables in the Library.
Speech Therapy
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money was spent by local authorities on the provision of speech therapy in the last year for which figures are available.
Column 11
Mr. Key : The vast majority of spending on speech therapy is carried out by health authorities. The relatively small amount of spending by local authorities is not separately identified on their returns submitted to the Department of the Environment.Local Government Boundaries
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the statements or speeches made by, or on behalf of, Ministers of the Crown (a) prior to July 1987 and (b) since covering any major review of the functional organisation of boundaries of local government.
Mr. Key : Over the 158 years since the setting up of the Royal Commission on Municipal Corporations of 1833, which can be regarded as the first major review of the functional organisations and boundaries of local government, many speeches and statements have been made by, and on behalf of, Ministers of the Crown. The most relevant to the current situation are the statements made by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment, for Wales and for Scotland on 21 March and 22 April at columns 401 and 901.
Electricity Pylons
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department has commissioned or published in the last 10 years in respect of the effect on health of electromagnetic radiation from electricity pylons.
Mr. Baldry : Matters relating to the possible health hazards from environmental radiation are the concern of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. However, my Department maintains close liaison with the Department of Health on these issues.
Residuary Bodies
Mr. David Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total capital sum realised from the abolition of the metropolitan county councils and the winding up of the residuary bodies.
Mr. Key : One hundred and seventeen million pounds of capital receipts realised from the sale of surplus property and other assets were distributed by the metropolitan residuary bodies, excluding London, to local authorities.
Quarries (Waste Disposal)
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number and sites of quarries in County Durham used for waste disposal from industrial and domestic sources.
Mr. Baldry : The Department does not have information on the number of quarries which are used for waste disposal. Durham county council, as waste disposal authority, should be able to provide the information on waste disposal sites in its area.
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Rural Development
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to promote the achievements of Rural Development Commission projects in the rural development areas, in particular those using funds provided from central Government.
Mr. Baldry : My colleagues and I take every opportunity to publicise the achievements of the Rural Development Commission, as does the commission itself. For example, on 19 April my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside launched a project in Rossendale, Lancashire, which is part of a new partnership between the Rural Development Commission and Help the Aged aimed at addressing the needs of elderly people in rural areas.
Article 4 Direction
Mr. Robert Hicks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now give a decision in response to the application by the Caradon district council for an article 4 direction in respect of land at St. Veep which the hon. Member for Cornwall, South-East first referred to his office on 22 August 1990.
Mr. Yeo : I have written to my hon. Friend explaining that delay has been caused by awaiting additional supporting evidence which the district council has offered to provide. Officials in my Department have written to the council about this again on 15 April. I assure my hon. Friend that once this additional evidence has been received, or the council confirms that it does not intend to submit anything further, we will issue a prompt decision on the article 4 direction.
Council Tax
Mr. Trotter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the aggregate external finance will be for each local authority under the illustrative council tax and what is the AEF in payment for 1991-92.
Mr. Key : With the council tax, grant and business will be paid directly to each tier of local authority. It is therefore not possible to make direct comparisons with external finance in 1991-92 which is paid to the collection fund in each area.
Mr. Trotter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for each local authority the average illustrative council tax bill per household ; showing the average community charge bill per thousand in 1991-92.
Mr. Key : The Government issued on 23 April full information on the illustrative effect on household bills had the council tax been fully in place in 1991-92.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his statement to the House on 23 April, Official Report, column 901-3, what is his policy towards the removal or otherwise of the safety net from those local authorities which will attract more Government grant than at present as a result of the proposals outlined by him on that occasion.
Mr. Key : The illustrative figures published on 23 April assume that the present area protection grant will be distributed in the same way as the remainder of AEF.
Column 13
The Government propose that there will be transitional relief to ensure that no household will face an unreasonable increase in its bill from one year to another as a result of the introduction of the new system. There will therefore be no need for transitional arrangements applying to whole local authorities.Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the figures and calculations which result in Grimsby's local government tax bills in each column of his illustrative tables being among the 10 highest in the country.
Mr. Key : The illustrative figures are calculated on the basis of a distribution of grant and non-domestic rate income which allows local authorities in all areas to set a council tax of £400 for a band D property occupied by two or more people, if they provide a standard level of service. The corresponding figures are £267 for a band A property and £668 for a band G property.
All spending above the standard level falls upon the council tax. Humberside county council spends 4 per cent. above its standard spending assessment and Great Grimsby spends 32 per cent. above its SSA, leading to higher bills in the area than those for standard spending.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the correlation in his illustrative bills table in the new council tax between the percentage over standard spending assessment and size of charge in each band.
Mr. Key : All revenue in excess of standard spending assessment will fall to be raised by the council tax for the local authority concerned. Within the area of an authority, the increase in bill for a band G property will be two and a half times that for a band A property. The size of increase required for a 1 per cent. increase in spending will depend on the SSA for the authority and the proportion of properties in each band.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his statement to the House on 23 April, Official Report , columns 901-903, if his review of local government will include the metropolitan districts.
Mr. Key : I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend to the House on 23 April at column 901, in which he said that the Government intend no significant changes in the structure of local government in London or the metropolitan areas. However, they are seeking views on how arrangements for some services, such as grants to the voluntary sector and the arts, might be improved in these areas.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the full cost of calculating the Government's council tax figures and the cost of publishing the documentation outlining the Government's proposed system of local government finance.
Mr. Key : No additional expense was incurred in calculating the illustrative council tax figures, as these were compiled from data held by the Department on existing computer systems.
The estimated cost of publishing the documents outlining the Government's finance proposals was some £20,000.
Column 14
Drinking Water Inspectorate
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many technical employees on the drinking water inspectorate were (a) previously employed by his Department and (b) previously employed by a water company, statutory water company or water authority or otherwise in the water industry.
Mr. Trippier : Seven members of the professional staff of the drinking water inspectorate were previously employed by my Department, and two by other Government Departments. Four joined the inspectorate from water companies and one from a public analyst. Another was employed by a firm of consultants. Two people are on secondment from the water research centre.
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the total number of days that staff of the drinking water inspectorate have spent on water company premises ;
(2) how many site inspections have been carried out by staff of the drinking water inspectorate ;
(3) what is the total number of inspections carried out by drinking water inspectorate staff and the total number carried out by others ; what is the proportion of drinking water inspections which are sub-contracted out to consultants ; and what is the name of each firm of consultants employed by the drinking water inspectorate and the value of the contract awarded in each case ;
(4) what is the average amount of notice given to a water company before an inspection takes place ;
(5) if he will list each water company inspection that has been carried out so far in each water company ; and if he will give the date of each visit and the conclusions of the inspection.
Mr. Trippier : Since the drinking water inspectorate was established on 2 January 1990, inspectorate staff have spent about 120 days on water company premises. These staff have inspected 15 of the 39 water companies in England and Wales. Two firms of consultants, Watson Hawksley Ltd, and Rofe, Kennard and Lapworth were engaged by the inspectorate to make 24 inspections. For commercial reasons it would not be appropriate to give the value of the contracts. Inspections were made between June 1990 and February 1991 and, in general, water companies were given five weeks' notice. All inspections, except three, included site visits. The conclusions from the inspections will be summarised in the first annual report from the chief inspector of the drinking water inspectorate which is due to be published in July.
Cryptosporidia Outbreak, Hull
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take action against Yorkshire Water for the outbreak of cryptosporidia in Hull in 1990.
Mr. Trippier : The final report of the outbreak control team was delivered recently to the drinking water inspectorate which is investigating the incident. The inspectorate will make
recommendations to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment in due course upon any action to be taken.
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