§ Mr. Maudlingasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state in itemised form his estimates of the additional cost involved to public funds in Her Majesty's Government's proposals for legislation in the present Session and their administrative decisions announced since its commencement.
§ Mr. DiamondPursuant to my reply of yesterday [OFFICIAL REPORT, 21st December, 1965; Vol. 722, c.407], the following is the information requested:
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Cost Teachers' Superannuation Bill Administration costs £40,000 per annum. Workmen's Compensation and Benefit (Amendment) Bill Additional cost of benefit £1 million (plus) for the first year, declining thereafter.
ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS Assistance to Tate Gallery Assistance towards purchase of Hogarth's "Ashley Cowper with his wife". £6,450. B.O.A.C.: financial reconstruction Cost to public funds during 1965 £5.3 million. Export Promotion Cost in 1966–67 £0.5 million. Industrial Rehabilitation Units Establishment of four new industrial rehabilitation units for retraining disabled men. £0.5 million (capital), £150,000 per annum from 1967–68 onwards. McCorquodale Report (Acceptance of Recommendations) Improvements in war disability pensions and industrial injury benefits. £0.5 million in a full year. National Coal Board Extra borrowing by the Board in 1965–66 will follow from the decision to defer price increases. About £25 million. National Commuting Centre Capital £940,000. Annual running cost £200,000. Overseas Aid (i) Interest free loan to Afghanistan £200,000.* (ii) Interest free loan to Ceylon £2 million.* (iii) Interest free loan to Ethiopia £2 million.* (iv) Interest free loan to Pakistan £4 million.* (v) Colonial grants and loans (as shown on pages 4 and 5 of the Winter Supplementary Estimates). £1,499,000. (vi) Contribution to the Congo Fund £178,000. (vii) Refinancing loan to Chile £2,800,000. (viii) Refinancing loan to Argentine £5 million. Production Engineering Advisory Service Total cost £1 million. Road Safety (i) New provisions governing drink and driving offences Cost unlikely to be large. (ii) General experimental speed limit of 70 m.p.h £185,000 in 1965–66. Motorway fog "advisory" speed limit of 30 m.p.h. (iii) Testing schemes for goods vehicles and goods vehicle drivers. About £8 million on capital cost over 4.5 years. (Capital and operating costs will be recovered from charges over a period of years.) Note:There will also be expenditure on:—
(i) Earnings—related unemployment and sickness benefits.
(ii) Contingency aid to Zambia: in the memorandum of understanding signed with the Government of Zambia on 19th December, H.M. Government undertook to pay for certain goods and supplies to be purchased outside Zambia and for the British air-lift.
(iii) New arrangements for the administration of certain islands in the Indian Ocean.
(iv) Setting up of the Public Schools Commission.
(v) Administrative costs in connection with the exchange control and other financial measures on Rhodesia.
(vi) Improvement of the Youth Employment Service.
(vii) Implementation of the "Report on Computers for Research" about which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science gave details in answer to a Question by the hon. Member for Hitchin yesterday.
Expenditure on these items cannot be stated precisely. In addition, measures for more efficient working of the ports may give rise to some additional public expenditure which cannot at present be quantified.
* The phasing of disbursements under these loans cannot be predicted precisely.