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Written Answers

Volume 207: debated on Friday 8 May 1992

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Written Answers To Questions

Friday 8th May 1992

Transport

British Rail (Finance)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the expected outturn is for British Rail's external finances for 1991–92; what will be the public service obligation cash ceiling for 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

The information is as follows:

  • (a) British Rail's external financing requirement for 1991–92 was £1,446 million. This represented an undershoot of £76 million on the revised limit of £1,522 million. BR has exceptionally been given permission to carry forward £55 million of this undershoot, which results from delays in the delivery of rolling stock, to 1992–93. The external finance limit for 1992–93 has therefore been increased by £55 million to £2,096 million. BR will publish full details of the 1991–92 financial year in its annual report and accounts in early summer.
  • (b) The PSO cash ceiling for 1992–93 has been set at £1,040 million.
  • Environment

    Flats Over Shops Initiative

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who will receive grant aid under the flats over shops initiative for 1992–93; and at what levels.

    Fifty-eight authorities in England will receive flats over shops grant aid totalling £5,027,500 for 1992–93. These are:

    Flats over shops proposed allocations 1992–93
    Region and Local AuthorityAllocation £
    Eastern
    Aylesbury Vale DC44,000
    Ipswich BC88,400
    Luton BC60,000
    North Bedfordshire BC29,700
    South Norfolk DC7,500
    St. Albans DC16,500
    Waveney DC80,000
    Wycombe DC156,100
    482,200
    East Midlands
    Boston BC22,500
    Chesterfield BC57,500
    Gedling BC30,000
    Leicester CC198,000
    South Kesteven DC191,100
    499,900

    Region and Local Authority

    Allocation £

    London

    London Borough Bexley46,400
    London Borough Camden231,500
    London Borough Harrow104,000
    London Borough Hillingdon48,700
    London Borough Lambeth236,500
    London Borough Southwark155,000
    Westminster CC220,000
    1,042,100

    Northern

    Alnwick DC80,000
    Derwentside DC130,000
    Newcastle Upon Tyne CC67,000
    Tynedale BC138,000
    Wear Valley DC85,000
    500,000

    North West

    Barrow in Furness BC27,300
    Carlisle CC35,100
    Crewe and Nantwich BC133,900
    Chester CC3,800
    Ellesmere Port and Neston BC56,600
    Sefton MBC97,300
    South Lakeland DC63,700
    Trafford BC93,000
    510,700

    South East

    Elmbridge BC60,000
    Guildford BC40,000
    Hart DC45,000
    Hastings BC100,000
    Horsham DC20,000
    Hove BC55,000
    Newbury DC144,000
    Worthing BC44,900
    488,900

    South West

    North Dorset DC76,000
    Penwith DC65,000
    Restormel BC11,200
    Salisbury DC26,200
    Stroud DC27,300
    Torbay BC200,000
    West Dorset DC82,000
    487,700

    Yorkshire and Humberside

    Bradford MBC100,000
    Hull CC116,000
    Leeds CC100,000
    Sheffield CC200,000
    516,000

    West Midlands

    Sandwell MBC200,000
    Solihull MBC52,500
    Staffordshire Moorlands DC53,500
    Worcester CC72,000
    Wrekin DC122,000
    500,000

    Health

    1991 Census

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the first computer-processed results from the 1991 census will be published.

    In his reply to my hon. Friend the then Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Brandon-Bravo) on 5 March 1992 at columns 272–73, my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health announced a provisional revised timetable for the county and regional monitors, and for part 1 of the county and regional reports and associated statistical products.Publication of these results is now under way. The first county monitor, that for the Isle of Wight, is published today by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in a 1991 census county monitor. Copies of all the census monitors and reports will be placed in the Library as they are published.

    Trade And Industry

    Export Credits Guarantee Department

    To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the Export Credits Guarantee Department will be seeking an advance from the Contingencies Fund, against a summer supplementary estimate.

    Parliamentary approval is being sought for a supplementary estimate class IV, vote 5 ECGD: export finance assistance, for additional provision of £1·2 million to meet a final claim under the cost escalation facility. This facility was closed to new business in 1984.Pending approval by Parliament of the supplementary estimate, the expenditure concerned will be financed by a repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund.

    British Technology Group

    To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library details about the sale of the British Technology Group.

    The sale of the British Technology Group to a consortium led by CIN Venture Managers and BTG's management and employees was completed on 31 March 1992.The sale proceeds totalled £27·75 million, with the possibility of further payments to Her Majesty's Government arising from the level of cash and net current assets at the time of completion, and from payments under a mechanism for the clawback of 60 per cent. of revenues in excess of those forecast on BTG's business plan over the next five years.A document has been placed in the Library containing copies of: the sale and purchase agreement; of the articles of association of British Technology Group Ltd. and of its holding company, British Technology Group International plc, in each of which the Secretary of State holds a special share; and a schedule listing the institutional investors in BTG.