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Mr. Nelson : We have no such proposals. Agreement has been reached with other member states that the United Kingdom's existing social VAT zero rates, including those specifically designed to benefit charities and charity shops, can be maintained at least until the end of 1996 without prejudice to their future thereafter.
EC Budget
16. Mr. Salmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with his EC counterparts on the EC budget proposals ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : My right hon. Friend has regular discussions with his EC counterparts on the future financing of the Community, most recently at the ECOFIN Council on 9 June, at which a majority of member states indicated that they found the Commission's proposals excessive.
Housing
18. Mr. Milburn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the prospects for recovery in the housing market.
Mr. Dorrell : As was said in this year's Financial Statement and Budget Report, any recovery in the housing market during 1992 is likely to be slow.
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Unemployment
19. Ms. Coffey : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Government have made of the impact on Government revenues of any increase in unemployment.
Mr. Portillo : The projections of revenues in the Financial Statement and Budget Report take account of all relevant factors.
Stamp Duty
20. Mr. Madden : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning stamp duty.
Mr. Nelson : We have received a number of representations that the temporary increase in the threshold for stamp duty should run for a longer period. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath (Mr. Townsend) earlier today.
European Central Bank
21. Mr. Carrington : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the location of the proposed European central bank.
Mr. Lamont : I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's report on the discussions at Lisbon on 29 June, Official Report, column 588.
Manufacturing Output
22. Mr. Eastham : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the level of manufacturing output over the last three years.
Mr. Lamont : Manufacturing output fell by about 6 per cent. between 1989 and the first quarter of 1992, following a rise of over 30 per cent. between 1981 and 1989.
Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
23. Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to bring the calculation of the public sector borrowing requirement into line with European practice.
Mr. Portillo : There is no standard European practice nor any internationally-agreed guidelines for the definition of the public sector borrowing requirement.
Mr. Clifton-Brown : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the public sector borrowing requirement as a percentage of gross domestic product for each EC country since 1989.
Mr. Nelson : Comparable data for the public sector borrowing requirement in each Community country are not available. The following data are for general Government net borrowing as a percentage of GDP.
General government net borrowing
as a percentage of GDP
|1989|1990|1991
-----------------------------------
Belgium |6.5 |5.3 |6.2
Denmark |0.5 |1.4 |2.0
Germany (West) |-0.2|1.9 |3.1
Greece |18.3|19.6|16.5
Spain |2.8 |4.0 |4.4
France |1.2 |1.6 |1.7
Ireland |2.2 |2.6 |2.3
Italy |9.9 |11.0|10.2
Luxembourg |-5.5|-5.6|-2.5
Netherlands |5.2 |5.3 |3.9
Portugal |3.4 |5.8 |6.4
United Kingdom |-1.2|0.8 |2.0
Note: A negative number indicates
a budget surplus.
Source: European Economy
VAT (Second-hand Goods)
24. Mr. Loyden : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to apply VAT to second-hand goods.
Sir John Cope : The sixth VAT directive requires tax to be charged on the full selling price of all goods and services unless otherwise relieved. Although there is no general relief for second-hand goods, there are special schemes for certain of these goods and works of art, antiques and collectors' items under which tax is charged only on the seller's margin.
The draft EC seventh VAT directive, which requires unanimity for its adoption, proposes a harmonised scheme which will in general extend this relief to other second-hand goods. The Government have taken the representations that they have received fully into account in establishing their negotiating position.
Economic Recovery
25. Mr. Winnick : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the assumptions underlying his oral statement of 22 January 1992, Official Report, column 323, that there remain good grounds for believing that the recovery will become fairly established in the course of 1992.
Mr. Lamont : I spelt out the reasons underlying my statement of 22 January 1992 at the time-- Official Report, column 323. The forces making for recovery are still in place. These include low inflation, reduced interest rates, rising real earnings, improved personal and corporate financial positions, higher consumer and business confidence, and renewed productivity growth. So I continue to believe that growth will become firmly established in the course of 1992.
Exchange Rate Mechanism
26. Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for a realignment of currencies within the exchange rate mechanism.
Balance of Payments
27. Mr. Wareing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the balance of payments.
Mr. Nelson : United Kingdom exports are at record levels.
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Taxation, West Midlands
Mr. Burden : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the proportion of income currently paid in tax by average income families in the west midlands.
Mr. Dorrell : The information is not available.
Bank of Credit and Commerce International
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications the Bank of England as now received for compensation under the deposit protection scheme from former depositors of Bank of Credit and Commerce International ; if he will list the amount claimed in monetary bands ; how many claims are still with the liquidators of BCCI ; and what is the current backlog at (a) the Bank of England, and (b) the liquidators.
Mr. Nelson : By 1 July 1992 the Deposit Protection Board had received some 15,600 claims for compensation under the deposit protection scheme from former depositors of BCCI. The board does not maintain an analysis of these claims by monetary bands. On that date approximately 2,900 of these claims had been settled ; another 1,800 were in the process of being settled and further clarification was being sought from depositors on another 500 claims. The remaining claim forms are currently awaiting clearance by the liquidators, once proof of debt forms have been received.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received concerning the Bank of Credit and Commerce International from (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public.
Mr. Nelson : My Treasury colleagues and I have received some 17 letters on BCCI from hon. Members this year and some further 50 from members of the public.
Public Sector Undertakings
Mr. Conway : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) on 5 June, Official Report, column 652, if he will list all those other concerns or undertakings which operate under public sector management.
Mr. Nelson : Sections four and six of the "Statistical Supplement to the 1991 Autumn Statement"--Cm 1920--give details of the nationalised industries and other public corporations.
VAT (Hoteliers)
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has during the EC presidency to call for a study of the avoidance of VAT luxury rates by hoteliers in the EC member states.
Sir John Cope : I have no such plans. It would be for the Commission to propose such a study if it is required.
VAT (Local Government)
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those EC member states where local government, or its equivalent, can recoup VAT.
Sir John Cope : Article 4(5) of the EC sixth VAT directive allows member states not to treat local authorities as taxable persons in respect of those activities in which they engage as public authorities.
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There are special provisions in United Kingdom law that permit local authorities to reclaim VAT on activities which they perform as public authorities.I have no information on how other member states implement this provision.
Hospital Volunteer Drivers
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reconsider his decision to tax hospital car service volunteer drivers' mileage allowances ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : The position in law is that motor mileage allowances paid to individuals, whether employees or volunteer drivers, who use a car on health service business are liable to income tax if, and only if, the allowances exceed the costs of running and maintaining the car for health service driving and so result in a profit. While I am very much aware of the important and valuable service provided by volunteer drivers, I am not persuaded that there is a case for amending the law to exempt them from tax on any profits on their mileage allowances. But, as the hon. Member may be aware, it has been decided to phase in the arrangements which were introduced last year for collecting tax on these allowances. For the period from 6 October 1991 to 5 April 1993 only one quarter of the profit element will be taxed ; for the tax year 1993-94, one half of the profit will be taxed ; and for the tax year 1994-95 three quarters of the profit will be taxed. Tax will not be payable on the full amount of the profit element until 1995-96.
Exchange Rate
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the exchange rate.
Mr. Nelson : The Government remain firmly committed to sterling's membership of the ERM and to its moving in due course to the narrow band at the current central rate of DM2.95.
Interest Rates
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on his policy regarding interest rates.
Mr. Nelson : Interest rates will continue to be set to keep sterling within its ERM band and to bear down on inflation.
Investment Management Regulatory Organisation
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral answer to the right hon. Member for Islwyn (Mr. Kinnock) of 30 June, Official Report, column 709, if he will make it his policy that so much of the content of the IMRO report as is to be published under Her Majesty's Government's auspices is published before 16 July.
Mr. Lamont : The Securities and Investment Board--SIB--has today published the summary of conclusions and findings of IMRO's review of its regulation of Maxwell companies--including Bishopsgate Investment Management Ltd.--BIM--and London and Bishopsgate
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International Investment Management plc-- LBI. The SIB is also publishing its assessment of its own and IMRO's performance in this affair and the action both the SIB and IMRO are taking to rectify the shortcomings identified. The SIB's assessment concludes that there were serious deficiencies in the supervision by IMRO of BIM and LBI. I am placing a copy of the SIB's statement in the Library of the House.The Maxwell affair was wholly exceptional--the vast majority of pension funds have served their members well. Moreover, the IMRO review covers a relatively limited part of the Maxwell story. Under the Financial Services Act, IMRO's role in supervising pension funds was to regulate and authorise pension fund managers. IMRO was not, and is not, responsible for ensuring that pension fund trustees respect their wider obligations under trust law. Moreover, effective regulation must in the final analysis involve the active co-operation of the private sector, including professional advisers, financial institutions and others, all of whom have their own responsibilities.
None the less, in the Government's view the shortcomings identified in the SIB's assessment are of very serious concern. The SIB and IMRO are undertaking a number of actions, detailed in the SIB's assessment, to ensure more effective regulation in future.
IMRO's performance also raises questions about the SIB's monitoring of IMRO and its general oversight of the self-regulatory organisations under the Financial Services Act. I have, therefore, asked Andrew Large, the SIB's new chairman, to conduct his own review of how the SIB carries out its regulatory responsibilities. I have also discussed with the chairman of the SIB the need to strengthen the implementation in practice of regulatory standards. I am confident that he fully appreciates the urgency and importance of his task and I have asked him to keep me closely in touch with progress on the further work, reviews and improvements that are now in hand.
I have also looked into the recent allegations that IMRO warned the Government that it could not do its job properly because of problems over the relationship between the Financial Services Act regime and trust law. Neither the SIB nor I have found any evidence to substantiate these allegations. IMRO and the SIB made representations to the DTI over a number of years about the legal uncertainty they believed was created by the interaction of the Financial Services Act and trust law. However, there was no suggestion that this uncertainty posed a threat to investor protection. And the SIB's conclusion is that neither legal uncertainties created by the relationship between the Financial Services Act and trust law nor the existence of IMRO's special occupational pensions scheme regime made any material difference to IMRO's regulation of the Maxwell pension fund companies.
No regulator and no system of regulation can guarantee that all fraud will be prevented or identified. But the Government are determined that all the lessons of the Maxwell affair, in its many aspects, must be learned and implemented. I will be assessing in detail over the coming months the effectiveness of the steps already taken by the SIB and IMRO, the additional action now proposed, and the outcome of the SIB's further reviews. I shall then report back to the House.
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Pensions
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those EC member states who pay their local government employees, or the equivalent, index linked inflation-proofed pensions.
Mr. Robin Squire : I have been asked to reply.
In the United Kingdom, index linked pensions are available to former local government employees who have contributed to public service pensions schemes. Information is not available on a comparable basis for other EC member states.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
County Courts, Northern Ireland
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whether he has any proposal to increase judicial and other county court manpower and improve equipment and county court premises following the increase in the limit of the county court jurisdiction in Northern Ireland.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The Lord Chancellor has announced his intention to increase the current financial limits on the general civil jurisdiction of the county courts in Northern Ireland. This will initially be achieved by an increase to £10,000--from £5,000--in November 1992, with a further increase to £15,000 in September 1993. In determining the new jurisdictional levels, the Lord Chancellor has given careful consideration to the ability of the county courts to cope with any increased workload resulting from the increase and is satisfied that the county courts have sufficient capacity and resources to cope with the increased volume of business. At the same time, the Lord Chancellor recognises the need to continue to keep the position under review to ensure that the county court system in Northern Ireland is adequately resourced and equipped.
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has for a general reform of county court rules in Northern Ireland ; and when he expects such a review to be completed.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The regulation of the procedures in the county courts in Northern Ireland is a matter for the County Court Rules Committee established under article 46 of the County Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1980. The Lord Chancellor is aware, however, that the rules committee intends to carry out a wide ranging review of county court procedure to determine ways in which the current arrangements might be improved.
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whether he proposes to replace the present periodic county court sittings in Northern Ireland with a system of continuous sitting along the lines current in the Northern Ireland High Court.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The present arrangements for periodic sittings of the county court in Northern Ireland have generally worked in a satisfactory manner. The Lord Chancellor is conscious, however, that a system of continuous sittings may have some advantages and will wish to explore alternative methods of entry and listing of
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county court actions. Accordingly the Lord Chancellor's officials in Northern Ireland will be examining, in consultation with the County Court Rules Committee and interested parties in Northern Ireland, the possibility of introducing a continuous listings system.Mr. Trimble : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) whether he will introduce automatic discovery and disclosure of medical reports in personal injury actions in the county court in Northern Ireland ;
(2) whether he intends to introduce into the county court in Northern Ireland a procedure for summary judgment analogous to order 14 procedure in the High Court in Northern Ireland.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The revision of county court procedures in Northern Ireland is primarily the responsibility of the rules committee established under article 46 of the County Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1980. It is understood that further consideration of the present procedures on discovery of documents, exchange of medical and other expert evidence, and procedures for obtaining summary judgment will form part of the rules committee's review referred to in my earlier answer.
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many different types of originating process exist in the county court in Northern Ireland ; and what proposals there are to reduce the number thereof.
Mr. John M.Taylor : There are currently three basic means of initiating proceedings in the county courts in Northern Ireland ; by civil bill, by petition and by notice of application. There are, however, five types of civil bill--ordinary, equity, ejectment, default and summary civil bills. As explained in previous answers, the forms of originating process to be employed in the county courts are determined by the County Court Rules Committee. It may be that some reduction in the number of types of originating process will be effected by the rules committee as a result of the wider review of county court procedures mentioned in the answer to an earlier question.
Appeal Hearings (Compensation)
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will introduce a scheme of compensation for legal costs incurred in abortive appeal hearings where the court service or Government Departments are responsible for delays.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The Department is prepared to consider claims for compensation where loss is sustained through maladministration by court officers in matters for which the Lord Chancellor is responsible.
Where loss is sustained as a result of the actions of one of the parties or of another Government Department it is open to the party who has sustained the loss to apply for an order for costs in cases where it is appropriate to do so.
Mr. Mohammed Khan
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to provide compensation to Mr. Mohammed Khan in respect of abortive costs incurred in an immigration appeal hearing on 20 December 1991.
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Mr. John M. Taylor : I regret that I cannot consider payment of compensation in this case as there was no mistake or failing by the immigration appellate authorities.
Public Record Office
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will set out those matters in regard to the Public Record Office for which he will in future answer parliamentary questions by referring the matter to the Keeper, following the establishment of the Public Record Office as an executive agency.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The Government's policy on answering questions on agency matters was most recently set out in the Government's reply to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee's 1991 report on the next steps initiative--Cm 1761--which said :
"In normal circumstances the source of the reply should follow the allocation of responsibilities as between the Secretary of State and the Chief Executive in the Agency's framework document ; but in all cases the decision on who will respond rests with the Minister." The Lord Chancellor will be following this policy with regard to the Public Record Office. Copies of the Public Record Office's framework document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Expert Witnesses
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much notice is given to expert witnesses attending cases at the Crown court.
Mr. John M. Taylor : It is the responsibility of the prosecution and defence, and not the court, to notify witnesses of the date their attendance is required. The period of notice differs from case to case according to the circumstances of the case. However, those responsible for listing in the Crown court are aware of the difficulties faced by expert witnesses and, wherever possible, seek to give the parties as much notice of trial dates as they are able. Fixed dates for trial are often requested in cases involving expert witnesses, and such requests are acceded to wherever practicable.
ENVIRONMENT
Building Temperatures
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 10 June, Official Report, columns 187-88 what publicity there has been for S.I. No. 1013 (1980) to the heating and ventilation industry, owners of non-residential buildings and trades unions ; what inspections are carried out to ensure compliance with statutory instrument ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Reference to the statutory maximum legal heating limit of 19 C is included in the EEO's publication "Energy Efficiency in Buildings (Offices)." No inspections are carried out to ensure compliance with SI No. 1013. The Energy Efficiency Office encourages consumers to take cost-effective energy efficiency measures by providing independent and authoritative advice through a range of initiatives and programmes.
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Departmental Contracts
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all contracts to advise his Department within the last two years let by single tender action ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Howard : The following contracts are recorded as having been let to consultants by single tender action in the last two financial years :
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Consultant(s)ubject of consultancy
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Financial year 1990-91
Action Resource Centre |Private sector secondments to City Action Teams
Almondhall Computer Staff |Business model: Planning Inspectorate
BDO Binder Hamlyn |Grant Redemption Fund
BIS Applied Systems |North Sea database
Burgess Cyril
| officers
Chapman Hendy |Waltham Forest Housing Action Trust
Ekotheipi Electrical Associates Ltd. |development and production of MK.2 universal motor speed controller
Electoral Reform Society |Hull shadow Housing Action Trust
Ernst and Young |Local authority and housing association management
| and maintenance grant
Forman L. | Index to office instructions and staff handbook
Geary N. R. |Safety of manufacturing processes
Gibson Dr. |Meadowell Estate
Griffiths K. F. |Housing Topics
Hanlon Computer Systems |Inter-departmental urban database
Hance Dr. |Fate and behaviour of pesticides
Healey and Baker |Disposal of New Town assets
Hull City Council |Housing Action Trust team
Imperial War Museum |Staff inspection of the Royal Armouries
Infologistix |Translation service; software evaluation
ISMa Consultants |Computer risk analysis
Kermon Management Consultants |Network infrastructure project
Kidd Susan |Loose-leaf commercially produced reference works
Kidson Impey |Local authority waste disposal companies
Kings College, London |Design improvement controlled experiment
KPMG Peat Marwick Mclintock |Management accounting systems
Laboratory of the Government Chemist |Analysis of sludge/effluence
Land and Urban Analysis |employment densities
Linierman Prof. |Performance measures
Logica |Technical assurance: local authority statistics
McHugh, E. |Enterprise and employment
Mindworks |Financial monitoring system
MORI |Barriers against uptake of unleaded petrol
Otitoju, F. |Training of ethnic minority staff
P. A. Consulting |Neighbourhood renewal manual
PA Consulting System |Security review of INFORM
Peter Peregrinus Ltd. |Register of research
Phillips D. |Air pollution management
PIC Services |Southwark Housing Action Trust
Price Waterhouse |Performance measures
Rechem |Analysis of emission-incinerator
Safe Neighbourhood Unit |Estate Action
Signal UK |Database archiving for Private Office
Softlab |SSADM training: Planning Inspectorate
Tuffin, Ferraby and Taylor |Works and maintenance services
Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board |Certificate of technical competence
Watson Hawksley |Technical audits of water companies (Phase 2)
Financial year 1991-92
Aspinwall & Co. |Special hazardous wastes
Brennan, Mrs. |Library bibliographies
CICA |Disc general assembly representation
Gibbs Environmental Sciences |Landfill levy
Green Alliance |Comparative study of five national environmental plans
Institute of Waste Management |Review of waste management paper
Knox Associates |Co-disposal in the United Kingdom
KPMG |Small combustion plants directive
London Waste Regulation Authority |Review of waste management paper
McCarthy, Kevin |United Kingdom European Community Presidency Conference
Middlesex |Air pollutants factsheets
National Association of Waste Disposal Contractors |Review of waste management papers
National Economic Development Office |Construction research
Nottingham Polytechnic |Statistical basis for landfill sampling
Offline Computer Services |Computerised record-keeping and report-generating
PA Consulting |Criteria for award of eco-labels to washing machines and
|dishwashers
Parry, Professor |IPCC working group
The Department's policy is to appoint consultants by single tender where they have unique experience or expertise relevant to the subject matter, or --exceptionally--where there is overriding urgency to let a contract without a tender process.
Tree Preservation Orders
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of reported breaches of tree preservation orders for each year since 1982 ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Maclean : It is a criminal offence under section 102 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 to contravene a tree preservation order. The number of prosecutions for each year since 1982 are as follows :