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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 26 November 1993
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Small Claims
Mrs. Roche : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases were referred to the small claims procedure in 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The number of cases which were dealt with using the small claims arbitration procedure in 1991-92 and 1992-93 was 66,090 and 89,104 respectively.
Mrs. Roche : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) how many small claims cases in 1991-92 and 1992-93 were (a) personal injury cases, (b) consumer goods cases and (c) debt reclamation ;
(2) in how many small personal injury claims in the past year the defendant has been represented by a barrister ;
(3) how many proceedings were issued in the county courts in 1991-92 and 1992-93 of (a) less than £1,000, (b) between £1,000 and £2,500 and (c) between £2,500 and £5,000 ;
(4) what proportion of county court cases in 1991-92 and 1992-93 in the value of (a) £1,000-£2,500 and (b) £2,500-£5,000 were (i) debt recoupment, (ii) personal injury and (iii) consumer goods cases ;
(5) in how many small personal injury claims in the past year the defendant has been represented by a barrister.
Mr. John M. Taylor : This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Personal Injury Cases
Mrs. Roche : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average level of costs charged for (a) legal expertise, (b) medical evidence, (c) ergonomics and engineering evidence, (d) police evidence and (e) witness evidence in county court personal injury cases in (i) 1990-91, (ii) 1991-92 and (iii) 1992-93.
Mr. John M. Taylor : This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Arts Council
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will announce his conclusions on the Arts Council review.
Mr. Brooke : In my statement of 21 July, Official Report, columns 355-66, I set out a clearer framework for the Government's relationship with the Arts Council of England. As part of this, I asked the council to consider ways in which its accountability could be improved, and to review the scope for savings in its administrative costs. I am now in a position to announce my conclusions on this further work.
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As I made clear in my earlier statement, the Government remain committed to the "arm's-length principle" for arts funding. This leaves the council to steer the general direction of artistic policy and to decide the allocation of resources. But with that degree of independence for the council in the use of taxpayers' money comes also the responsibility for explaining their decisions clearly and fully. Accordingly, I have explored with the chairman ways in which the council's accountability can be improved. Among the council's proposals are twice- yearly public seminars outside London ; occasional or regular presentations to the National Heritage Select Committee, should the Committee agree ; an annual Arts Council lecture by the chairman or a council member ; annual policy seminars covering the different art forms, led by art form panel chairman and attended by the relevant art form constituency and specialist press ; meetings with representative associations ; and, subject to the agreement of the arts organisations concerned, publication of summaries of council appraisal reports. I welcome these proposals, and have asked the chairman to follow them up.I have also explored with the chairman the scope for making savings in the council's administrative costs. At my request, the council has undertaken a full analysis of its activities in relation to the core functions identified in my earlier statement, including the opportunities for market testing, and assessed the scope for administrative reductions. In the light of this analysis, I am persuaded that there is scope for making savings in the council's administrative costs without damage to its core functions and while meeting the costs associated with increased accountability. I have therefore asked the council now to implement a reduction of 8 per cent. in its current gross administrative costs, equivalent to a saving approaching £600,000 in a full year. It will be for the council itself to determine the precise areas where these savings are to be achieved and to identify them in its business plan for next year.
In addition, the council is due shortly to complete its own review of staffing and structure in the regional arts boards, and some further administrative streamlining may be possible as a result. The council will also hold further discussions with the regional arts boards about delegation of projects and schemes activity, and aim to reach conclusions by the end of the current financial year. The statement marks the end of the long series of reviews by the Government into the structures and staffing of the arts funding system. The effect has been to establish appropriate levels for decision making, to clarify accountability and to reduce bureaucracy. It is now for the council to settle the detailed framework within which those working in the arts community can operate. My Department will continue, as a regular part of discussions in the corporate and business planning context, to keep the administrative costs associated with the funding system under close scrutiny. Our aim will be to ensure that overheads are kept to a minimum and that as much as possible of the available resources is channelled directly to arts practitioners and to the artistic activity which must be the focus of all our endeavours.
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SOCIAL SECURITY
Benefits Agency
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many visiting officers were available to his Department and the Benefits Agency in each administrative region in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, together with the staff projections for the number of visiting officers that will be available in each region over the next three years.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Benefits Agency is a matter for its chief executive, Mr. Michael Bichard. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Archy Kirkwood, dated 25 November 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking, how many visiting officers were available to his Department and the Benefits Agency in each administrative region in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, together with the staff projections for the number of visiting officers that will be available in each region over the next three years.
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The overwhelming majority of visiting officers available to the Department of Social Security are associated with the administration of claims to Income Support and the Social Fund. Since 1 April 1991, the Benefits Agency has been solely responsible for that administration.The Contributions Agency and Child Support Agency are also Executive Agencies of the Department and have some visiting staff available to them. However, the duties of those staff and their deployment throughout the United Kingdom are fundamentally different to those of Benefits Agency staff and I am advised by my colleagues in those Agencies that information relating specifically to visiting staff is not available and could only be obtained at a
disproportionate cost. For these reasons I have excluded those staff from the figures I present to you.
The numbers of Income Support and Social Fund visiting staff for which resources were made available for each of the last four years are shown on the attached table. (Table attached.) However, local managers do have the authority to deploy their resources differently, using their knowledge of local needs and circumstances.
I am afraid that comparative information for the financial year 1989-90 is not available.
Staffing projections for this work area are currently part of the PES negotiations. These projections take account of current requirements, as well as unemployment and other demographic factors which arise influencing benefit take up and activity. I may say that at this stage significant changes to current requirements are not anticipated.
Finally may I assure you that the Benefits Agency is fully committed to maintain the home visiting service as a key element of its "customer service programme."
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
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Analysis of Visiting Staff Allocated by Regional & Area Directorates 1989 to
1994.
Region |89-90 |90-91 |Areas |91-92 |92-93 |93-94
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Midlands |N/A |181.41 |South 1 |51.8 |74.1 |67.50
Wales & South West |N/A |166.18 |South 2 |49.2 |85.3 |95.43
Scotland |N/A |114.92 |South 3 |76.4 |101.1 |124.50
North West |N/A |151.14 |South 4 |77.5 |98.1 |98.31
North East |N/A |184.34 |South 5 |46 |51.5 |53.80
London North |N/A |210.44 |South 6 |49.8 |71.8 |72.29
London South |N/A |207.51 |South 7 |49.3 |69.4 |62.08
TOTAL |N/A |1,215.9 |TOTAL |400 |551.3 |573.91
|WCE1 |42.5 |59.2 |58.78
|WCE2 |44.1 |61.5 |63.99
|WCE3 |52.7 |71.5 |76.35
|WCE4 |52.3 |63.6 |64.17
|WCE5 |35 |50.3 |44.23
|WCE6 |40.8 |59 |58.17
|WCE7 |48.6 |68.6 |67.34
|TOTAL |316 |433.7 |433.03
|SNE1 |51.6 |64.6 |67.27
|SNE2 |49.9 |69 |77.27
|SNE3 |46.5 |58.7 |61.92
|SNE4 |23.1 |28.6 |48.00
|SNE5 |30.7 |44.8 |33.91
|SNE6 |31.7 |36.9 |34.19
|0.00
|TOTAL |233.5 |302.6 |322.56
NATIONAL |1,215.9 |NATIONAL|949.5 |1,287.6 |1,329.5
N.B. Area Directorates replaced the former regional organisations April 1991.
South=Southern Territorial Directorate.
WCE=Wales and Central England Territorial Directorate
SNE=Scotland and Northern England Territorial Directorate
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in which parts of the United Kingdom cold weather payments have been triggered during the very cold weather during November ; and if he will outline the main conditions to be met before cold weather payments are triggered.
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Mr. Scott : The administration of cold weather payments is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Winnick, dated 25 November 1993 :
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As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking, in which parts of the United Kingdom cold weather payments have been triggered during the very cold weather in November, and if he will outline the main conditions to be met before cold weather payments are triggered.A period of cold weather is classed as seven consecutive days during which the average mean daily temperature is, or is forecast to be 0 degrees Centigrade or less. A forecast is based on information received daily, by the Agency, from the Met. Office.
As of 25 November cold weather had been triggered or forecast for areas covered by 43 Benefits Agency (BA) Districts which are listed in the attached appendix.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
BA districts which have triggered or been forecast for a period of cold weather as of 25 November 1993.
Barnsley
Berkshire
Blackburn and Accrington
Bradford
Buckinghamshire
Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale
Central Derbyshire
Central Staffordshire
Clyde Valley
East Lowlands
Gloucester
Grampian and Shetland
Gwyneddigion
Hampshire North
Hereford and Worcester
Highlands and Islands
Leeds, Aire and Wharfe
London Central
Mid Wales and Maelor
North Cumbria
North Derbyshire
North Gwent and Brecon
North Staffordshire
North Wales Coast
North Worcestershire
Oldham
Oxfordshire
Sale/East Cheshire
Sheffield West
Shropshire
South Cheshire
South Derbyshire
South and East Hampshire and Wight
South West Scotland
Stockport
Surrey Downs
Tameside
Tayside
Warwickshire
West Pennine
Wiltshire
Wolverhampton
Yorkshire Pennine
Indicates a forecast.
Retirement Pensions
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of national average earnings the basic state pension for a single person amounted to in (a) 1960, (b) 1970, (c) 1980 and (d) 1990.
Mr. Hague : The information is not available for 1960. The Employment Department's new earnings survey, on which the figures are based, did not start until 1970. The basic state pension for a single person as a percentage of
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national average earnings amounted to (a) 19.3 per cent. at April 1970, (b) 22.6 per cent. at November 1980, and (c) 17.8 per cent. at April 1990.Social Affairs Council
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals were put forward by EU member states at the Social Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 23 November.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Chingford (Mr. Duncan Smith) on 24 November 1993, Official Report, column 72.
EDUCATION
Voluntary-aided Schools
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications have been received from local education authorities, diocesan boards or currently operating private schools for voluntary-aided status for (a) Protestant, (b) Catholic, (c) Hindu, (d) Jewish and (e) Muslim schools since 1983 ; and how many applications by each denomination have been successful.
Mr. Robin Squire : Full information dating back to 1983 is not readily available. However, in the last five years since November 1988, 23 applications have been received to establish new voluntary-aided schools. These include six Church of England schools, two Interchurch CE/Methodist and one Interchurch CE/RC, seven Catholic, five Jewish and two Muslim schools. Ten applications were successful : Two Church of England, one Interchurch CE/Methodist and one Interchurch CE/RC, four Catholic and two Jewish schools.
Overseas Visits
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many visits abroad he has made during 1993 ; and what was (a) the cost to public funds and (b) the purpose of each visit.
Mr. Patten : I have made one official trip overseas in 1993. Between 7 November and 9 November, I and two officials visited Slovakia. During the visit, I met the Slovakian Education Minister and other representatives of the Slovakian Government, and visited four universities, one of which is developing close links with the Open university.
The cost of the visit was approximately £2,250.
Grant-maintained Schools
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have to date (i) applied for and (ii) received approval for grant-maintained status from his Department in each of the London boroughs ; and what percentage these represent of the total number of schools in each borough.
Mr. Robin Squire : The information requested is set out in the tables.
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London boroughs: Primary schools applications and approvals for self-governing status
|A |B |C |D |E |F
LEA |Total schools |Applications |Percentage |Approvals |Percentage |Decision pending
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporation of London |1 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Camden |41 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Greenwich |77 |1 |1.3 |- |0.0 |1
Hackney |70 |1 |1.4 |- |0.0 |1
Hammersmith |39 |1 |2.6 |- |0.0 |-
Islington |57 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Kensington |27 |2 |7.4 |1 |3.7 |1
Lambeth |78 |5 |6.4 |4 |5.1 |1
Lewisham |74 |1 |1.4 |1 |1.4 |-
Southwark |77 |5 |6.5 |4 |5.2 |1
Tower Hamlets |73 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Wandsworth |70 |3 |4.3 |2 |2.9 |-
Westminster |42 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Barking |54 |- |0.0 |- |0.0
Barnet |89 |2 |2.2 |2 |2.2 |-
Bexley |67 |2 |3.0 |2 |3.0 |-
Brent |65 |2 |3.1 |1 |1.5 |-
Bromley |78 |2 |2.6 |2 |2.6 |-
Croydon |99 |2 |2.0 |2 |2.0 |-
Ealing |92 |4 |4.3 |4 |4.3 |-
Enfield |69 |1 |1.4 |- |0.0 |1
Haringey |77 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Harrow |53 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Havering |74 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Hillingdon |73 |11 |15.1 |11 |15.1 |-
Hounslow |63 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Kingston |36 |1 |2.8 |1 |2.8 |-
Merton |49 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Newham |67 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Redbridge |56 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Richmond |40 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Sutton |42 |3 |7.1 |1 |2.4 |2
Waltham Forest |61 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
|-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |--
Totals |2,030 |49 |2.4 |38 |1.9 |8
Notes:
A) Total number of maintained primary schools.
B) Number of schools which have applied for self-governing status to date.
C) Schools which have made applications as a percentage of total schools.
D) Number of schools approved for self-governing status.
E) Schools approved for self-governing status as a percentage of total schools.
F) Schools which have made applications which are still under consideration.
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London boroughs: Secondary schools applications and approvals for self-governing status
|A |B |C |D |E |F
LEA |Total schools |Applications |Percentage |Approvals |Percentage |Decision pending
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporation of London |0 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Camden |11 |2 |18.2 |2 |18.2 |-
Greenwich |15 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Hackney |10 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Hammersmith |9 |1 |11.1 |1 |11.1 |-
Islington |9 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Kensington |4 |1 |25.0 |1 |25.0 |-
Lambeth |10 |5 |50.0 |5 |50.0 |-
Lewisham |14 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Southwark |15 |5 |33.3 |5 |33.3 |-
Tower Hamlets |14 |1 |7.1 |1 |7.1 |-
Wandsworth |10 |7 |70.0 |6 |60.0 |-
Westminster |8 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Barking |8 |- |0.0 |- |0.0
Barnet |20 |10 |50.0 |8 |40.0 |2
Bexley |17 |4 |23.5 |4 |23.5 |-
Brent |14 |9 |64.3 |8 |57.1 |-
Bromley |17 |13 |76.5 |11 |64.7 |1
Croydon |20 |6 |30.0 |6 |30.0 |-
Ealing |13 |6 |46.2 |5 |38.5 |-
Enfield |17 |5 |29.4 |4 |23.5 |1
Haringey |9 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Harrow |10 |1 |10.0 |1 |10.0 |-
Havering |18 |4 |22.2 |4 |22.2 |-
Hillingdon |17 |14 |82.4 |11 |64.7 |1
Hounslow |14 |2 |14.3 |2 |14.3 |-
Kingston |10 |4 |40.0 |4 |40.0 |-
Merton |11 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Newham |14 |1 |7.1 |1 |7.1 |-
Redbridge |14 |1 |7.1 |1 |7.1 |-
Richmond |8 |- |0.0 |- |0.0 |-
Sutton |14 |8 |57.1 |8 |57.1 |-
Waltham Forest |16 |2 |12.5 |2 |12.5 |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |410 |112 |27.3 |101 |24.6 |5
Notes:
A) Total number of maintained secondary schools.
B) Number of schools which have applied for self-governing status to date.
C) Schools which have made applications as a percentage of total schools.
D) Number of schools approved for self-governing status.
E) Schools approved for self-governing status as a percentage of total schools.
F) Schools which have made applications which are still under consideration.
School Starting Dates
Mr. Don Foster : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list those local education authorities which have a single annual starting date for children starting school at age five years.
Mr. Robin Squire : This information is not collected centrally.
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