Vol.177
26107190
483
Written Answers
No. 151 Deil
26 JULY 1990
Written Answers
Nuclear Power
ESED, NPOD
484
41
Dr. Tho
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commoealth Affairs how the United Kingdom representation will be constituted at the 34 annual conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna in September.
Mr. Waldegrave: In addition to members of the United Kingdom's permanent mission to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) it is intended that two officials from the Department of Energy and one from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will attend the 34th annual conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna in September.
Whales and Dolphins
ESED
Mr. Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to his counterparts in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea concerning the deaths of whales and dolphins in the South Pacific due to fine-mesh drift nets used by fishing fleets from those countries.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: The Government of Japan and the Republic of South Korea are well aware of our concern about the use of large-scale drift nets in the South Pacific. We, and our EC partners, supported the United Nations resolution calling for its cessation by the end of June 1991 and welcomed the endorsement of this resolution by the 42nd annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission. We also welcomed the recent decision of the Japanese Government to suspend drift net fishing in the South Pacific one year in advance of the deadline stipulated in the United Nations` resolution. We do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and have no Government-to-Government dealings with the authorities
there.
Overseas Civil Service (Pensions) HKD
Mr. Stanbrook: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to bring the way in which the pensions of expatriate members of the overseas civil service in Hong Kong are paid into line with that prevailing in the other territories of the British empire.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd (holding answer 19 July]: There are no plans to change the present arrangements for paying pensions to members of Her Majesty's overseas civil service who have served in Hong Kong.
Aid and Trade Provision
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all aid and trade to date where his provision projects from 1979 Department nominated lead companies, naming the companies and if they are a subsidiary, also listing the name of the parent company: what are the sums of money involved including the export value and the ATP element; and whether there was any other United Kingdom Government support for these projects including any assistance from the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
Mr. Sainsbury: I have been asked to reply.
243 CW93/55 Job 13-10
I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Living Standards
Mr. Ralph Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures to show the estimate of the annual rise in living standards since 1979 of (a) non-pensioner couples with children, (b) non- pensioner couples without children, (c) non-pensioners single people. (d) non-pensioner single people with children, (e) single pensioners and (f) pensioner couples up to the latest available date.
Mr. Scott: This information relates to incomes as calculated for households below average income. published 23 July 1990; incomes before housing costs.
Estimate of annual percentage change 1979-87
Non-pensioner couple with children Non-pensioner couple without children
Non-pensioner single people
Non-pensioner single people with children Single pensioners Pensioner couples
Per cent.
2.8
2.2
2.5
1-2
2-7
3.0
The figures are subject to sampling error, particularly in the case of non-pensioner single people with children. In 1987 the sample size for non-pensioner single people with children was 394-4-3 per cent. of the total sample.
Incomes
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish an estimate of how much the real equivalent incomes of the bottom 5 per cent. and the top 5 per cent. of the population rose between 1978-79 and 1989-90. after payment of housing costs.
Mr. Scott: Because of the limitations of sample size and the variability of incomes at extremes of the income distribution, reliable estimates are not available for the lowest and highest 5 per cent. However, changes in the median incomes of those in the lower half of the income distribution are recorded in "Households Below Average Income, 1981-87". copies of which are available in the Library. When making comparisons with real income changes at the highest extreme of the income distribution, which rose by some 40 per cent. for the 95th percentile between 1979 and 1987, it is important to remember that household types, in terms of the numbers of earners per household, income composition and average tax rates are substantially different at the highest extreme, and are susceptible to greater variability over time. Figures beyond 1987 are not available.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state (a) how many people would gain, (b) what would be the average gain and (c) what would be the cost as a result of raising the level of savings under which housing benefit is payable to £10,000 on the assumption that (i) the rules for other benefits are unaltered, (ii) the interest actually received on savings and
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.