HC Deb 04 June 1984 vol 61 cc88-9W
Mr. Hume

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the amounts of debt due to public bodies in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Chris Patten

The amounts of debts due to the main public sector creditor bodies in Northern Ireland at 31 March 1984 are set out below:

£ million
Department of the Environment (Rates) 14.3
Northern Ireland Electricity Service 7.5
Belfast Gas 3.3
Northern Ireland Housing Executive (rent, rates and District heating) 19.9
Total 45.0

Notes:

1. These figures are provisional.

2. All these figures include technical debt in the form of payments in transit. This is particularly important in relation to debt owed to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

Mr. Hume

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures the Government are operating or planning to deal with the problems which give rise to public debt in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Chris Patten

The Government seek to deal with the socio-economic causes of public debt, which are complex, by careful deployment of the resources available for expenditure in Northern Ireland. For example electricity tariffs are pegged to the highest level in England and Wales for both domestic and industrial consumers at an estimated cost of £80 million in 1984–85; housing benefits provide a comprehensive scheme of assistance with rent and rates for those with low income and social security benefits are available in Northern Ireland in parity with the rest of the United Kingdom.

Mr. Hume

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the figures for public debt in Northern Ireland compare with available figures for regions in Great Britain.

Mr. Chris Patten

Statistics are not readily available in a form which allows meaningful comparisons of the level of debt due to public agencies in Northern Ireland with that due to similar agencies in other regions of the United Kingdom.

Mr. Hume

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the numbers and types of actions taken under the Payments for Debt Act 1971.

Mr. Chris Patten

The details of the actions taken under the Payments for Debt (Emergency Provisions) Act (NI) 1971 during the year 1983–84 are as follows:

Number of actions
Number
Deductions from Public Sector Employees' salaries and wages 2,216
Applications accepted by the Enforcement of Judgement Office for Emergency Enforcement Orders 45
Deductions made from grants payable by the Department of Agriculture (Northern Ireland) 23
Deductions made from compensation payable under the Criminal Injuries and Criminal Damage Statutory Orders
*(i) Criminal Injuries 315
†(ii) Criminal Damage 157
Benefit Allocation Procedure
Cases in hand 31 March 1983 8,281
Applications accepted during 1983–84 5,357
Cases in hand 31 March 1984 8,868
* Those recoveries were mainly in respect of arrears of rent, rates, electricity and gas.
† These recoveries were mainly in respect of income tax, Value Added Tax, National Insurance contributions and debts to public utilities.
*† These figures do not include cases under appeal to the courts.

Mr. Hume

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will bring forward proposals to repeal the Payments for Debt (Emergency Provisions) Act (NI) 1971.

Mr. Prior

I have no plans to do so at present.