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Mr. Redwood : The Director General of Fair Trading has submitted his recommendation on the merger to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, who announced on 9 February 1990 that he has decided, in accordance with the director general's recommendation, not to refer the proposed acquisition by the General Electric Company plc of Ferranti Defence Systems Group and of Ferranti International plc's interests in Ferranti Italia SRL to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
Japanese Car Plants (United Kingdom)
Mr. Gerald Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is aware of any requirement by Japanese car manufacturers in the United Kingdom for United Kingdom component manufacturers in future to enter into joint ventures with Japanese companies in order to be qualified to tender for work in United Kingdom-located Japanese car plants ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Japanese car manufacturers based in the United Kingdom operate no general rule of this kind. If there are any instances in which a Japanese car manufacturer has told a potential United Kingdom component supplier that a joint venture will be necessary, that is a matter for commercial negotiation between the parties.
Agencies (Performance Indicators)
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the quaity of service performance indicators that have been introduced into Companies House, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, the Warren Spring Laboratory and the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, respectively, since their establishment as agencies.
Mr. Forth : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies given to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 15 January 1990.
Column 49
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to meet the directors of mining engineering companies in the west Yorkshire area to discuss production and export drives ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I have no present plans to meet the directors of mining engineering companies in the west Yorkshire area.
Citizens Advice Bureaux
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what have been the Government's contributions to the citizens advice bureaux in each of the past five years.
Mr. Forth : My Department does not fund individual citizens advice bureaux. However, my Department funds the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB) which covers bureaux in England and Wales and Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS). Total grant-in-aid paid by my Department to NACAB and CAS during the last five years is as follows :
|£ million
1985-86    |7.993
<1>1989-90 |9.927
<1>Estimated.
ECGD Insurance Services Group
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy that the insurance services group of the Export Credits Guarantee Department will only be privatised on condition that the purchaser is domiciled and registered in the United Kingdom and that all the directors are United Kingdom citizens.
Mr. Ridley : No.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy that the insurance services group of the Exports Credits Guarantee Department, should not be sold in whole, or in part, to companies controlled outside the United Kingdom.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether accountants employed by firms criticised by his Department will be appointed to the accounting standards task force.
Mr. Redwood : I understand that Sir Ronald Dearing has no present plans to make further appointments to the accounting standards task force.
80. Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether the plans to meet the chair of Greater London Arts to discuss the effect of the uniform business rate on arts funding in London.
90. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he intends to meet the chair of Greater London Arts to discuss the effect that the uniform business rate may have on arts funding in London.
Mr. Luce : I have no plans to do so. Greater London Arts is currently compiling information on the effects of the change and I am asking it to keep me informed.
84. Dr. Marek : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he intends to meet the chairman of the Welsh Arts Council to discuss the effect of the uniform business rate on arts funding.
89. Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Minister for the Arts what plans he has to meet the chairman of the Welsh Arts Council to discuss the impact of the uniform business rate on arts funding.
Mr. Luce : I have no plans to do so. I am asking the Welsh Arts Council to monitor the effects of the change and to keep me informed.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Minister for the Arts what assessment he has made of the implications for arts funding of the uniform business rate.
Mr. Luce : The Arts Council is assessing the implications of the uniform business rate on performing arts organisations, and I have asked it to keep me informed. There are no immediate implications for the national museums and galleries, since (except for the national museums and galleries on Merseyside) they do not at present pay rates. I am keeping the situation under review.
European City of Culture
81. Mr. Andy Stewart : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he intends to attend any events connected with Glasgow's European City of Culture celebrations.
Mr. Luce : Yes, I shall be in Glasgow from 1-3 March for the official inauguration and associated events. I shall also be in Glasgow on 14 March, to open the Arts Council of Great Britain's conference, "Arts without Frontiers".
Autumn Statement
82. Mr. Watts : To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received following the settlement for the arts in the Autumn Statement.
Mr. Luce : I am pleased to say that I have received many letters of appreciation from chairmen and directors of institutions which benefited from revised allocations.
83. Mr. Butler : To ask the Minister for the Arts what progress has been made with the business sponsorship incentive scheme in the north-west ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Luce : I am delighted that the business sponsorship incentive scheme has brought over £1 million of new money to the arts in the north-west since it began in 1984. (Fifty arts organisations have won awards and 54 first-time and 20 existing sponsors have supported the arts.)
85. Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he intends to change the rules and funding of the business sponsorship incentive scheme.
Mr. Luce : I recently announced changes in the rules of the business sponsorship incentive scheme to enable it to focus on companies considering arts sponsorship for the first time. Under the new rules, which will operate from 1 April 1990, first-time sponsors will continue to be matched pound for pound. However, existing sponsors will be matched in the ratio of £1 for every £4 of additional sponsorship and businesses which have sponsored the arts for more than three years will no longer be eligible. The increased budget for the scheme of £3.5 million will be divided into six bi-monthly budgets in order to spread these resources more evenly throughout the year. Arts organisations will continue to be eligible for two awards each financial year up to the maximum of £25,000.
86. Mr. Janner : To ask the Minister for the Arts when he next intends to visit the city of Leicester.
Mr. Luce : I have no plans at present to visit Leicester, which I last visited in September 1988.
87. Mr. Hague : To ask the Minister for the Arts what has been the allocation to the Arts Council in current prices for each year since 1985.
Mr. Luce : The grant-in-aid to the Arts Council in 1985-86 was £105 million, which at 1989-90 prices, using the GDP inflator, is equivalent to £131 million. The figures for the following years were : 1986-87 £135.6 million (£163.9 million at current prices) ; 1987- 88 £139.3 million (£159.9 million ) ; 1988-89 £150 million (£160.5 million) ; and 1989-90 £155.25 million. The figure for next year will be £175 million, equivalent to £166.7 million at today's prices, using the GDP forecast. Over the next three years, the compounded increase will be 22 per cent., compared to a projected compound increase of 12 per cent. in the GDP inflator over the whole of that period.
Youth Arts Organisations
88. Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps he is taking to encourage the work of the national youth arts organisations.
Mr. Luce : It is the role of the Arts Council to encourage such bodies. However, I understand that it has decided to allocate £3,000 next year to each of four youth organisations, the National Youth Theatre, the National Youth Orchestra, British Youth Opera and the National Youth Music Theatre. These grants are intended to help the companies with the professional aspects of their work.
91. Sir Fergus Montgomery : To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last attended the ballet in an official capacity.
Mr. Luce : I last attended the ballet in an official capacity on 30 October 1989, when I went to a performance of "Swan Lake" at the Royal Opera House.
92. Mr. Flannery : To ask the Minister for the Arts what recent studies he has commissioned of the consequences of compulsory charges to enter galleries and museums.
Mr. Luce : The Government's repeatedly stated policy is that the decision whether or not to operate a system of admission charges, or voluntary donations, should be for the board of trustees responsible for each institution.
Similarly, it is for the trustees of each institution to decide whether or not to commission studies into the consequences of charges.
Merseyside Arts
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he plans to meet the chairman of Merseyside Arts to discuss the Wilding review on the funding of the arts in Liverpool.
Mr. Luce : I discussed Mr. Wilding's report with the chairman and representatives of Merseyside Arts on 1 December 1989. I also discussed the report with the chairman of the Arts Council and the chairmen of the regional arts associations on 1 February 1990.
Creches
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by location, where creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed in his Department ; and if they have to make any payment for this service.
Mr. Cope : There are no creche facilities provided by the Northern Ireland Civil Service or the Northern Ireland Office.
The Northern Ireland Civil Service and the home Civil Service are, however, considering how child care arrangements for staff could be improved. Two holiday playschemes have been established, on a pilot basis, within the Northern Ireland Civil Service. One scheme, based in Londonderry, ran during the 1989 summer school holidays, whilst the scheme based in the Stormont estate ran during the 1989 summer and Christmas holiday periods. The schemes were also open to home Civil Service staff in Northern Ireland. A holiday playscheme in Westminster, Elephant and Castle, Kensington and Croydon was available to London-based staff during 1989.
In the Northern Ireland Civil Service a joint management and trade union side working group on childcare, which is responsible for the holiday playscheme initiative in the Province, is considering the feasibility of providing creches for the children of civil servants. In view
of the small number of London-based staff in the Northern Ireland Office, it would be impracticable to organise a separate creche. Nevertheless, creche facilities are being sought with larger Government Departments.
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what training, advice and guidance is given to members of police forces from Great Britain who may be visiting or seconded to the Royal Ulster Constabulary regarding fire safety and prevention ; and what arrangements exist for liaison with the Northern Ireland fire service for this.
Mr. Cope : No formal training programme is given by the Royal Ulster Constabulary to visiting or seconded police officers. Most visiting officers would normally have already received some form of fire prevention training within their own force. Visitors staying in police establishments are briefed on fire exits and so on to be used in the event of a fire or terrorist attack. Liaison with the Northern Ireland fire authority is carried out through the police authority and the works service of the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland).
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list any meetings involving Sir Robert Andrew, Mr Colin Sampson and Sir Philip Myers on matters relating to Northern Ireland which took place in 1986.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 25 January 1990] : There was one such meeting, on 12 June 1986, involving Sir Robert Andrew, Mr. Colin Sampson and Sir Philip Myers, and also Sir Lawrence Byford.
Life Sentence Review Board
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any proposals for change in the structure of remit of the life sentence review board ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Cope : No. We shall, however, be examining our life sentence review procedures in the light of the Government's response to the recently published report of the House of Lords Select Committee on murder and life imprisonment, which included recommendations about the review system in Great Britain.
Fine Default
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any proposals to abolish imprisonment for fine default ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Cope : There are no such proposals at present.
Republic of Ireland (Economic Co-operation)
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of moves towards increased cross-border economic co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Mr. Cope : The Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference initiated last year a systematic programme of assessment of all the main sectors, to determine where the process of social and economic co-operation can most fruitfully be expanded. A joint Northern Ireland-Republic of Ireland paper on cross-border matters has been prepared for presentation to the EC under its cross-border programme and it is hoped to submit this shortly.
Stormont
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what purpose the new construction work is being carried out in the Stormont complex ; and at what cost.
Mr. Cope : A variety of work is in progress for the purpose largely of relieving pressures on accommodation, modernising
telecommunications and pursuing maintenance programmes. The final cost is not available.
Kincora Boys' Home
Mr. McMamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what attempts have been made by the Royal Ulster Constabulary to question Mr. F. Holroyd about his knowledge of events at the Kincora boys' hostel.
Mr. Brooke [holding answer 8 February 1990] : I understand that Mr. Holroyd has been inteviewed by officers of the Royal Ulster Constabularly on a number of occasions. During those interviews he was questioned about, inter alia, the extent of his knowledge of events at the Kincora boys' hostel.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on plans for devolution ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke [holding answer 9 February 1990] : I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 1 February. I expect to have further discussions with the leadership of the main consitutional political parties in Northern Ireland in the near future.--( Official Report, Vol. 166, No. 42, col. 417).
Plastic Bullets
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on proposals for the Ulster Defence Regiment to carry plastic bullets ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 9 February 1990] : A decision was taken last year that plastic baton round equipment could be made available to the Ulster Defence Regiment for use in carefully prescribed circumstances. There has been no change in the role of the regiment, which will continue not to be employed on crowd control duties.
Assured Tenancies
Mr. Hawkins : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homes have been provided in the private rented sector as a result of the assured tenancy initiative, both in total for the United Kingdom and by region ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : It is too early to assess the overall impact of deregulation on the supply of rented accommodation, but there are clear signs of increased interest in residential lettings. In particular, over £370 million has been invested in business expansion scheme companies letting on assured tenancies, which will provide some 7,000 new homes to let in Great Britain. In addition, some 18, 000 homes will be completed by housing associations in England in the current financial year, for letting on assured tenancies.
Palace of Westminster
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Dover of 29 January, if he will take steps to speed up the programme of works for cleaning and restoring the inner courtyards in the Palace of Westminster.
Mr. Chope : I shall keep the programme under review.
Quangos and Advisory Bodies
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a list of all the quangos and advisory bodies he has established since July 1989, the membership of each body, the rate at which the members are remunerated, whether they are full or part-time, the number of civil servants attached to each body, their grades and salary level, the number of quango and advisory bodies he has abolished since July 1989, and the consequential saving to the Exchequer.
Mr. Chris Patten : The following table lists the current membership of the authorities and members' remuneration of bodies established since July 1989. All posts are part-time. There are no civil servants attached to either body.
London Pensions Fund Authority
|Remuneration
Chairman: Sir George Blunden     |The post attracts a
|remuneration of
|£9,600mper annum
|but the Chairman is
|currently serving
|without payment
Deputy Chairman: M. C. Roberts   |£8,000
Members: Sir Nigel Althaus
Councillor E.D. Barkway
Councillor S. Bullock
Professor R. Franklin   |£3,000
Councillor A. King
Councillor A. S. Lourie
C. J. Messer
The following public bodies have been abolished since July 1989 ; New Towns Staff Commission, South Yorkshire Residuary Body and Greater Manchester Residuary Body. The Merseyside Residuary Body will be formally wound up on 30 March 1990. The residuary bodies were not funded by the Exchequer ; the abolition of the New Towns Staff Commission has led to a saving of the order of £800 a year for the fees and travelling and subsistence expenses of members.
House Purchases and Sales
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals to seek to reduce the costs of (a) buying and (b) selling a home.
Mr. Chope : We want house buying and selling to be as simple, inexpensive and as fair as possible to both parties involved. This is best achieved by healthy competition between those offering services to house buyers and sellers, and by the development of efficient practices. For further information, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 6 February 1990 by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, Official Report, Vol. 166, col. 545.
Uniform Business Rate
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the increased rate levy on business under the uniform business rate over previous rate charges on business in (a) central London, (b) outer London, (c) the west midlands and (d) the south- east ; and what research studies he has commissioned into the economic and social consequences of taking out these extra sums each year on (i) prices in the areas concerned, (ii) rents and (iii) attraction of the areas to inward investment.
Mr. Chope : As a result of the 1990 revaluation and the introduction of a uniform business rate on 1 April, the aggregate change in rate bills before taking account of the transitional arrangements will be :
(a) Inner London--an increase of £610 million.
(b) Outer London--an increase of £20 million.
(c) West Midlands--a reduction of £220 million.
(d) South East--an increase of £250 million.
The total amount payable by businesses as a whole will be broadly the same in real terms in 1990-91 as in 1989-90 : but there will be a shift in the burden of rates of around £900 million from the north and the midlands to London and the south.
This will give a boost to existing businesses and stimulate investment in areas such as Grimsby, where rates will fall on average by 21 per cent. in cash terms without transition.
Because at national level the effect of the new system is broadly neutral the changes will not be inflationary. Where properties face large increases in rate bills there will be consequential downward pressure on rents.
Rent Revisions
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received for amendments to landlord and tenant legislation to prohibit contracts which allow only upward rent revision and to make provision for both upward and downward revision mandatory ; what proposals he has for legislation in the matter ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : We have received three representations about upward-only rent reviews since the main legislation for business tenancies, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 part II, was reviewed in 1985. Following consultation it was concluded that the balance between tenant and landlord rights and obligations was being maintained and that overall the Act continued to work well. That remains the position and the Government do not intend to intervene further in the business lettings market.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what percentage of net weekly income a household in each of the regions on a weekly net income of (a) £100, (b) £150, (c) £200, (d) £250, (e) £300, (f) £400 and (g) £500 will pay in poll tax in (i) 1990-91, (ii) 1991-92 and (iii) 1992-93 ;
(2) what percentage of net weekly income a household in Greater London on a weekly net income of (a) £100, (b) £150, (c) £200, (d) £250, (e) £300, (f) £400 and (g) £500 will pay in poll tax in (i) 1990-91, (ii) 1991-92 and (iii) 1992-93 ;
(3) what percentage of net weekly income a household on a weekly net income of (a) £100, (b) £150, (c) £200, (d) £250, (e) £300, (f) £400 and (g) £500 will pay in poll tax in (i) 1990 -91, (ii) 1991-92 and (iii) 1992-93.
Mr. Chope : The figures requested are not available.
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made as to the amount towards the cost of local government that will be contributed under the community charge system by the top 10 per cent. of all households by income, taking tax payments to central Government into account, and the amount that will be contributed by the poorest 10 per cent. of households by income.
Mr. David Hunt : About 15 times as much will be contributed to the cost of local government by the top 10 per cent. of households by income compared with the poorest 10 per cent.
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what poll tax payments are due from a full-time mature student on a full grant but with no other source of income who owns his own home, which has no other occupants, and who is living and studying away from home.