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Column 535
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 14 January 1992
TRANSPORT
Speed Limits
Mr. Peter Botomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the European Commission added speed limits to the draft directive on speed limiters.
Mr. Chope : The proposal for fitment of speed limiters to certain vehicles (Document 8046/91), including the speeds at which the limiters should be set, was sent by the Commission to the Council on 31 July 1991 and to member states on 11 September 1991.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) on what date the European Commission's speed limit proposal was communicated to (a) the Economic and Social Committee, (b) trade unions and (c) employers for their comments and advice ; (2) when, and by what procedure, the European Parliament considered the European Commission's speed limit proposal.
Mr. Chope : The proposed EC directive on the fitment of speed limiters (Document 8046/91) was communicated to the European Parliament and to the Economic and Social Committee on 22 August 1991. My hon. Friend will note that this was about three weeks earlier than the communication to member states. The European Parliament gave its opinion on 13 December, and the Economic and Social Committee gave its opinion on 27 November. Both supported the principle of the proposal. The proposal was not formally communicated by the Commission to trade unions for comment, but both employers and employees interests are represented in the membership of the Economic and Social Committee.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate has been provided by the European Commission of the benefit in reduced numbers of crashes or reduced severity of injuries of the draft directive involving speed limiters.
Mr. Chope : The Commission proposal on the fitment of speed limiters (Document 8046/91) did not provide estimates of reduced numbers of accidents or severity of injuries.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the environmental benefits of reducing speed limits.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 13 January 1992] : A reduction in speed limits would produce benefits only if it resulted in lower vehicle speeds. The principal environmental benefit of lower speed is a reduction in emissions. This is true of both motor vehicles and trains.
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CrossRail
Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when it is proposed to commence construction of CrossRail.
Mr. Rifkind : As announced by the joint London Underground/British Rail CrossRail project team on 23 December, a review carried out by the Department of Transport and the operators recently concluded that the Private parliamentary Bill deposited last November would probably not be passed until late 1994. Construction might then be expected to begin in the financial year 1995-96, subject of course to the provision of resources.
National Dock Labour Scheme
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what developments have occurred in the former scheme ports since the abolition of the national dock labour scheme.
Mr. McLoughlin : Since abolition, there has been 50 per cent. net reduction in the number of dockworkers in ex-scheme ports. Non-scheme ports, too, have had to review their working arrangements. Flexible working agreements, and the end of restrictive practices, are reported to have led, in some places, to 50 to 100 per cent. improvement in productivity. Management effort is no longer absorbed in industrial relations problems and it can concentrate on giving a better, cheaper service to customers. The competition among ports to provide faster turnround, at lower rates, benefits the whole economy as it prepares to enter the single European market. Trade has revived in major ports. For example, Hull has reopened its container terminal and the Alexandra dock. Prospects for attracting private capital and new industrial developments have improved, now that ports are free from the restrictions of the scheme. This investment will bring further benefits to the economy.
Ivanhoe Railway Service
Mrs. Currie : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the proposed Ivanhoe passenger railway service from Leicester through South Derbyshire to Burton-on-Trent and Derby.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 20 December 1991] : I am delighted that we are able to give the go-ahead to the Ivanhoe line project, which will mean the restoration of local train services over the lines between Loughborough, Leicester, Burton-on-Trent and Derby, and will involve the opening or reopening of 16 stations.
It will provide an economic boost to the Leicestershire and Derbyshire communities through which the line passes and at the same time it should help ease peak traffic congestion in Leicester. The resources we are making available to this £16 million project (including a £5 million grant) will allow work to commence in 1992-93, and it is expected to take about three years to complete. This project is another demonstration of the Government's faith in rail as a means of local transport and is part of a continuing trend in railway development in the United Kingdom.
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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Sunday Trading
Mr. Michael : To ask the Attorney-General if he will seek powers to challenge the ruling of the courts that any local authority seeking to enforce United Kingdom legislation on Sunday trading will have to give an undertaking to pay the losses of the defendant in the event of that legislation being found to be in contravention of the treaty of Rome.
The Attorney-General : I have no plans to seek the powers referred to by the hon. Member. I assume that he is referring to the recent decision of the Court of Appeal in Kirklees borough council v Wickes Building Supplies Ltd in which it was held that the Council was required to give a cross-undertaking in damages when seeking, by means of an interlocutory injunction, to enforce the Shops Act 1950. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on this decision because it is shortly to be appealed to the House of Lords.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Social Fund Manual
Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to review the format of the social fund manual.
Mr. Hanley : A revised social fund manual has just been published. The new manual consists of a series of smaller, easier to use guides and booklets which distinguish clearly between directions-guidance to social fund officers and procedural-administrative instructions. The opportunity has been taken to amend social fund direction 16 in line with Government policy that, as a general rule, students should not be funded through social security benefits. During term-time or vacations full-time students will be eligible for crisis loans in future only to alleviate the consequences of a disaster. Copies of the revised social fund manual have been placed in the Library.
ENVIRONMENT
Business Rates, Southend
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that all outstanding appeals against business rate valuations in Southend will be heard by the end of June 1992.
Mr. Heseltine : Responsibility for business rate appeals rests with valuation and community charge tribunals, which are independent bodies. The Essex (South) tribunal had 8,500 appeals outstanding against the 1990 list as at 30 November. Some 2,000 of these were in respect of properties in Southend. The prioritisation and timing of cases is a matter for the tribunal and I have no formal power to intervene. My Department nevertheless wrote to tribunals in England last June urging them to progress 1990 list appeals as quickly as possible.
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Conservation Areas
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he now proposes to revise the guidance given in circular 8/87 regarding demolition of industrial buildings in conservation areas.
Mr. Yeo : Yes. My Department will be consulting local authority associations and other interested parties about a revised version of the circular in the spring.
Coventry Council (Finances)
Mr. Butcher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the percentage change in the total external support for Coventry city council between financial years 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Mr. Portillo : On the basis of the proposals put before the House on 26 November Coventry city council would have an increase in total external support of 6.9 per cent. between 1991-92 and 1992-93. It is intended that the final details for 1992-93 will be announced later this month.
Age File The Facts"
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain a copy of Anchor's report, "Age File The Facts" for his departmental library.
Mr. Heseltine : The departmental library already has a copy.
Sheltered Housing
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the role of sheltered housing in community care.
Mr. Yeo : Social services authorities will be responsible for community care assessments and are required to consult other agencies, including housing authorities, when drawing up their community care plans to meet the needs of their area. Similarly, housing authorities should consult social services authorities in preparing their own housing investment strategies each year. When making individual assessments for community care, social services authorities will be expected to involve the housing authority whenever an individual's assessment indicates a possible housing need.
Not everyone who is assessed under the new community care arrangements will be in need of housing, there will be a majority who will be able to go on living in their existing homes with suitable domiciliary care or, perhaps, custom adaptations. Indeed the aim of community care is to allow people to stay in their existing homes wherever possible. Local authorities are able to award mandatory disabled facilities grants for essential adaptations where an applicant qualifies for help under the test of resources. Discretionary grants may also be available for other adaptations, including minor works assistance for the elderly.
Where it is not possible for a person to stay in their own home it will be for social services in consultation with housing authorities to decide on the best way of meeting that person's needs. That may be in some form of sheltered housing. Sheltered housing will therefore be one of a range of housing options available.
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Competitive Tendering
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department intends to issue regulations limiting the size of performance bonds that local authorities can require of contractors, with regard to compulsory competitive tendering ; and whether he intends to consult with local authorities before issuing such regulations.
Mr. Portillo : My right hon. Friend will consider, in the light of responses to paragraphs 1.21 and 1.29 of the consultation paper "Competing for Quality--Competition in the Provision of Local Services", whether, and if so, how, he should use his powers in clause 9 of the Local Government Bill, in relation to performance bonds. He will consult the local authority associations before using these powers.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) for how many services which his Department is currently considering as candidates for compulsory competitive tendering he intends to introduce de minimis provisions ; what levels of de minimis will be set ; and whether he intends to consult local authorities on this matter ;
(2) What advice his Department received with regard to the extension of compulsory competitive tendering on the issue of de minimis from PA Consulting Group ; and what criteria will be used to determine de minimis levels.
Mr. Portillo : PA Consulting Group reported to my Department, the Scottish Office and the Welsh Office last year on the feasibility of extending compulsory competitive tendering. That report is not being published.
The question of whether there should be a level of activity below which the requirements for compulsory competitive tendering should not apply, and if so how that level will be defined, will be considered in the light of responses to the consultation document "Competing for Quality--Competition in the Provision of Local Services". I would expect to consult the local authority associations before defining any such level.
City of Birmingham (Bankers)
Dame Jill Knight : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the tendering procedures adopted by the city of Birmingham in appointing its bankers.
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 13 January 1992] : The tendering procedure adopted by an authority in appointing its bankers is a matter for it and for its auditor. Questions as to compliance with such procedures, which would be contained in the authority's standing orders and financial regulations, are for the authority's monitoring officer, appointed under section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and may be referred to the authority's auditor. Both the monitoring officer and the auditor have statutory
responsibilities in relation to the legality and propriety of an authority's decisions.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Remand Prisoners, Durham
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the average period of time remand prisoners are held in Durham prison before being brought to trial in the last two years for which figures are available ;
(2) how many people are currently held on remand in police cells in the county of Durham.
Mrs. Rumbold : On Friday 10 January, two unconvicted prisoners, both under the age of 21, were held in police cells in the Durham constabulary area.
Information on the average length of time served by prisoners in Durham prison who are remanded in custody is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Prosecution of Juveniles
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was, for each year since 1980, the percentage of cases brought against juveniles in which a conviction was secured ; (2) what has been the number of cases in each year since 1980 in which police identified a juvenile or juveniles as having committed offences but in which (a) the case was not brought to court or (b) the prosecution withdrew the case or offered no evidence or (c) the case was dismissed by the court.
Mr. John Patten : Information is not collected centrally on the number of juvenile offenders identified by the police, for whom no court proceedings were taken. Information in the following tables show (A) the percentage of cases brought against juveniles where a conviction was secured ; and (B) the number of juveniles proceeded against at magistrates courts where the case was either dismissed or withdrawn. 1990 data is not yet available.
Table A
Number and percentage of juveniles (persons aged 10 to under 17)
prosecuted at magistrates' courts and convicted at all courts of
indictable offences 1980-89
England and Wales
Year |Total |Total found |Total found
|proceeded |guilty |guilty
|against |(number) |<1>(per cent.)
|(=100 per
|cent.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980 |98,000 |90,000 |92
1981 |95,000 |87,000 |91
1982 |90,000 |82,000 |91
1983 |82,000 |73,000 |90
1984 |78,000 |70,000 |89
1985 |71,000 |63,000 |88
1986 |57,000 |48,000 |84
1987 |53,000 |42,000 |79
1988 |48,000 |36,000 |77
1989 |37,000 |26,000 |72
<1> Percentages based on actual figures.
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Table B
Number of juveniles (persons aged 10 to under 17)
proceeded
against at magistrates' courts for indictable
offences where the
charges were withdrawn or dismissed 1980-89
England and Wales
Year |Total |Charge |Charge
|proceeded|withdrawn|dismissed
|against
--------------------------------------------------
1980 |98,000 |2,000 |4,000
1981 |95,000 |3,000 |4,000
1982 |90,000 |3,000 |4,000
1983 |82,000 |3,000 |3,000
1984 |78,000 |4,000 |3,000
1985 |71,000 |4,000 |3,000
1986 |57,000 |5,000 |2,000
1987 |53,000 |6,000 |2,000
1988 |48,000 |6,000 |2,000
1989 |37,000 |5,000 |2,000
Magistrates Courts (Delays)
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures he is taking to reduce delays in proceedings in magistrates courts.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The problem of delays is a complex one which needs to be tackled in a variety of ways and which requires the active co- operation of all criminal justice agencies. Amonst the measures recently taken or now in hand to bring about reduction in delays are
the introduction of powers to enable magistrates courts to remand for up to 28 days, which should reduce unnecessary court hearings and encourage effective case management ;
a major programme of training, arranged by the Home Office in conjunction with the magistrates courts service, directed to helping court clerks to develop practical clerking skills and a proactive approach to the management of court business ;
the issue in July 1991 of best practice guidance on listing of cases, supplementing earlier guidance on the best use of court clerk time ;
the encouragement and monitoring of pre-trial reviews on an experimental basis in selected magistrates' courts ;
action to follow up the report of the working group on pre-trial issues, as announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General on 11 November, in which the magistrates courts service will be asked to play its full part ;
the start of direct data exchange between magistrates courts and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, to be extended in due course to all magistrates courts, which should reduce the time needed to obtain licensing information as well as reducing handling costs ; the development of national targets for improvements in performance, as part of the development of the magistrates courts management information system.
These are all important initiatives which we hope will contribute to speedier and more effective local justice.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Textile Industry
Mr. Barron : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to make an announcement on the RETEX scheme to help areas hit by decline of the textile industries.
Mr. Leigh : On 20 December the European Commission agreed a draft proposal for a RETEX scheme on which it will invite comments from member states and the European Parliament in the coming weeks. I have not yet
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received the draft proposal. The Government will naturally seek to ensure the maximum effective coverage of United Kingdom textile areas.National Telephone Codes
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 5 December 1991, Official Report, column 205, if he will list those organisations which have expressed concern about the time allowed for the 1994 changes in national telephone codes.
Mr. Redwood : The Director General of Telecommunications, who is responsible for numbering, has not taken a final decision on the transitional period for implementation of the national code change in 1994. I have asked the Director General to write to the hon. Member giving further information concerning the transitional arrangements and any representations he may have received.
Plugs
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce regulations to require the fitting of plugs to all electrical equipment before the point of sale.
Mr. Leigh : As part of a review of the Plugs and Sockets Etc (Safety) Regulations 1987, my Department is currently considering whether legislative controls should be introduced requiring the fitting of plugs to domestic electrical appliances before they are supplied to the consumer.
Hearing Aids
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will institute an inquiry into the profit margins of hearing aid manufacturers ; and if he will discuss the prices of non-national health service hearing aids with the organisations of and for disabled people.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 13 January 1992] : No. It is the responsibility of the Director General of Fair Trading to monitor commercial activities affecting consumers. He may conduct an inquiry to establish whether there are sufficient grounds for formal investigation under competition legislation. If the right hon. Member has information that suggests there are anti-competitive practices, he should bring it to the attention of the Director General.
PRIME MINISTER
Constituencies
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards equalising the size of parliamentary constituencies ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : When conducting a review of parliamentary constituencies, the parliamentary boundary commissions are required to give effect to the rules set out in schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, which include a requirement that constituency electorates should be as close as practicable to the electoral quota for that part of the United Kingdom.
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Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 14 January.
The Prime Minister : This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Bank of England
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the relevant primary and secondary legislation governing relations with the Bank of England.
Mr. Maples : Principal legislation governing relations between the Treasury and Bank of England includes the Bank Charter Act 1844, the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1866, the Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928, the Bank of England Act 1946, the Currency and Bank Notes Act 1954, the National Loans Act 1968, the Currency Act 1983 and the Banking Act 1987. The Bank of England Charter of 1946 is also of relevance.
I regret that to compile a comprehensive list of relevant legislation in all fields would involve a disproportionate expenditure of time and resources.
Trade Deficit
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the United Kingdom's current trade deficit.
Mr. Mellor : The information may be found in table 1 of the monthly press notice on the current account of the balance of payments, published on 23 December 1991, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
British Telecommunications plc
Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the outcome of the Government's sale of part of its residual shareholding in British Telecommunications plc.
Mr. Maude : As I announced on 9 December at column 299, Her Majesty's Treasury made a total of 1,050 million shares available to applicants in the United Kingdom public offer and 525 million shares to bidders in the international tender offer. In addition, S G Warburg Securities had the option to acquire further shares from Her Majesty's Treasury, up to a maximum of 118.125 million shares, for the purpose of meeting overallotments in the international tender offer.
On 7 January, S G Warburg Securities, as global co-ordinator for the sale, acquired a further 22.5 million shares from Her Majesty's Treasury, pursuant to this option. This brings to 547.5 million the total number of shares sold by Her Majesty's Treasury in the international tender offer and to 1,597.5 million the total size of the BT share sale.
The shares sold in the international tender offer were distributed across the 10 regional syndicates in the following proportions :
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|Percentage
----------------------------------------
United Kingdom |63.6
United States |17.6
Japan |5.3
Switzerland |4.9
Rest of the World |2.6
France |1.5
Germany |1.4
Italy |1.4
Canada |1.1
Benelux |0.6
|---
|100.0
Following the exercise of the option granted to the global co-ordinator, the Government will hold some 1,343.5 million shares in British Telecommunications plc (approximately 22 per cent. of the total currently in issue), before deducting any shares which may be needed to meet share bonus entitlements under the United Kingdom public offer.
Total gross proceeds from the sale of the offered shares amount to £5.43 billion, of which some £1.84 billion are received in this financial year.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has any proposals to raise the advisory cost limit of £250 for answering parliamentary questions.
Mr. Maples : Yes. The advisory limit was last increased in 1988 Official Report 14 March 1988 col. 429. Its purpose is to act as a threshold for disproportionate cost PQs. Any written PQ where the marginal cost of preparing the answer is considered likely to exceed the threshold may be referred to the appropriate Minister and an answer may be refused in whole or in part on the ground of disproportionate cost. Alternatively the Minister may decide that the PQ is to be answered irrespective of cost.
This threshold applies to the marginal cost and not the full cost of a written PQ. For the marginal cost, the divisional costs of preparing the answer are estimated--i.e. the costs in divisions (without taking account of the standing cost of parliamentary branches). The fixed cost of staff accommodation is also excluded from this marginal cost calculation and this also contributes to ease of calculation in Departments.
When the threshold was last increased in 1988, the average marginal cost was £33 and the £250 threshold was a multiple of nearly eight times the average. A survey of costs in 1991 has shown that the average marginal cost of a written PQ is now £50. To reflect this the advisory limit is being raised today to £400 so that the same multiple of eight times the average will apply. There is no advisory cost limit for oral parliamentary questions.
Government Deficit and Debt
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the ratio, expressed as a percentage of (a) the actual Government deficit and (b) Government debt to the gross domestic product at then market prices in each year since 1970.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 13 January 1992] : There are a number of different ways of measuring the Government deficit and Government debt.
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Presentation of the public sector finances in the United Kingdom is generally in terms of the public sector borrowing requirement (PSBR) and net public sector debt.PSBR statistics on the basis requested were given in reply to the right hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney (Mr. Shore) on 2 December 1991, Official Report, column 38. Figures for net public sector debt, which are available only from end-March 1975 onwards, are given in the table.
Net public sector debt as
percentage of GDP<1>
|Per cent.
------------------------------
1975 |61.00
1976 |59.00
1977 |57.75
1978 |54.00
1979 |50.75
1980 |46.25
1981 |47.75
1982 |47.25
1983 |46.25
1984 |46.75
1985 |47.00
1986 |45.25
1987 |42.75
1988 |38.25
1989 |32.00
1990 |27.75
1991 |27.25
<1> Stock of debt as at 31
March expressed as a
percentage of GDP
adjusted for the abolition of
domestic rates in the year
centred on that
date.
Mortgage Rescue Proposals
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will specify the basis of his calculation that his mortgage rescue proposals will protect 40,000 households next year ; and what information he has of the number of households facing repossession next year.
Mr. Maples [holding answer 13 January 1992] : Lenders themselves have estimated that the measures announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor on 19 December will prevent about 40,000 repossessions this year. They were previously expecting about 80,000 repossessions in 1992.
WALES
District Health Authorities
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to amalgamate the district health authorities in Wales to enable them to exercise greater purchasing power.
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