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Child Benefit
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the factors underlying delays in issuing child benefit payment books. [49219]
Mr. Worthington: I have been asked to reply.
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Chris Thompson, and I have asked him to arrange for a response to be given.
20 Jul 1998 : Column: 368
Letter from Chris Thompson to Mr. William Ross, dated 16 July 1998:
I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the factors underlying delays in issuing child benefit payment books.
A combination of factors gave rise to problems in the Child Benefit Office that caused delays in payment books being issued. There was disruption when the Office had to relocate to new premises at Windsor House in November 1997. Added to this were problems with the introduction of two new computer systems, one of which required a key additional feature which was not initially available. There were also technical problems which caused difficulties for staff accessing the computer system; response times were slower and in many instances live claims were rejected. Furthermore, staff took action in April 1998 in protest against threats by terrorist organisations which also had a serious impact on the provision of services.
A recovery plan has been in operation which included the deployment of extra staff from elsewhere in the Agency. Extensive overtime is also being worked in order to clear the backlog which has been significantly reduced over the last six weeks. It is anticipated that normal service, including the telephone service, should resume in early August.
I hope this explains the position for you but I would be happy to provide any further information you require.
TREASURY
Correspondence
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the volume of correspondence sent to, and received from, hon. Members by (a) the Inland Revenue and (b) Her Majesty's Customs and Excise between (i) January to March 1996 and (b) January to March 1998. [47871]
Dawn Primarolo: The Board of Inland Revenue and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise receive a large volume of correspondence from hon. Members at local office level, regional and collection level, and at their respective Head Offices.
The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Government Debt
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in cash terms total Government debt in (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98. [51474]
Mr. Darling: Cash figures for net public sector debt in 1996-97 were published in Table B7 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report. Estimates of net public sector debt as a proportion of GDP in 1997-98 were published in Table 4.5 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report. The estimate of GDP in 1997-98 was published in Table 4.1.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate total Government debt in cash terms for (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000, (c) 2000-01 and (d) 2001-02. [51473]
Mr. Darling:
Table 4.5 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report showed forecasts of net public sector debt as a proportion of GDP. Forecasts of GDP were published in Table 4.1.
20 Jul 1998 : Column: 369
Rent Tribunals
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to broaden the range of people eligible to sit on rent tribunals. [50106]
Mr. Raynsford: We want to see tribunals drawn from a broader constituency and representing a balance of expert and lay membership. Though these are expert tribunals and necessarily include qualified lawyers and valuers, we have been concerned about the lack of lay members. My Department has started advertising to recruit more lay members and to widen the catchment from which they are drawn.
Correspondence
Mr. Ian Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to correspond electronically with (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public. [49815]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 12 July 1998]: On (a), I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 17 July 1998, Official Report, column 315. On (b), as part of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's target of twenty five per cent. of dealings with Government being undertaken electronically by 2002, the Department is taking major steps to modernise and bring in electronic services. Among other things, this will provide more opportunity for the Department to correspond electronically with members of the public.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many letters per day his office receives; how many staff are employed to answer these; what targets are set in respect of such letters; and what is the current performance against targets. [50679]
Angela Eagle: In respect of the volume of correspondence and targets set by this Department for dealing with such correspondence, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service today, Official Report, colum 363. Few staff are solely employed by my Department to handle correspondence; for most staff this is part of their normal duties.
Environmental Impact Assessment Directive
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library copies of correspondence his Department has received in the last six months from the European Commission concerning the implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive as it affects the offshore oil and gas industry. [50634]
Mr. Raynsford:
Correspondence between the European Commission and the Member States (including the UK) concerning the implementation of EC Directives is regarded by all parties as confidential.
20 Jul 1998 : Column: 370
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with Wandsworth Borough Council on the number of council properties that have been empty for periods longer than three months. [50704]
Mr. Raynsford:
I have had no such discussions. However officials of the Government Office for London regularly discuss with Borough officials, as part of the annual Housing Investment Programme determination, many aspects of the Borough's housing strategy and of its performance as a housing authority. Empty council properties are one aspect of that discussion. The Government regularly mention the number of empty houses in each local authority area, and encourage all local authorities to implement strategies to minimise the number of empty houses in their area.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what funds have been provided by his Department for the Sustrans UK project; and if he will make a statement. [50726]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Department welcomes the contribution the National Cycle Network can make to encouraging people to cycle. In addition to the £43.5m Sustrans received from the Millennium Commission the Department has undertaken to fund the crossings on the trunk road network where this is appropriate.
The Highways Agency is committed to spending around £7.8m on cycle schemes across England's trunk road network. A rolling programme of around 60 crossings are being targeted for completion by the year 2000. In most cases the Highways Agency is working in partnership with local authorities, cycling groups and Sustrans to identify the right schemes.
Mr. Ottaway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the representations received by his Department on the Air Carrier Liability Order 1998 indicating those in favour and those against the terms of the Order. [50821]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Representations have been received from the following organisations, companies or individuals:
20 Jul 1998 : Column: 371
Association of Asia Pacific Airways
Association of British Travel Agents
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert
Beaumont and Son
Board of Airlines Represented in the United Kingdom
British Airways
British Air Transport Association
Harold Caplan Esq.
Dibb Lupton Alsop
International Air Transport Association
Peter Martin Esq.
Lady O'Cathain.
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