Written Answers of 8 May 1992

TRANSPORT

  British Rail (Finance)
  Mr. David Porter
  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.

  Mr. MacGregor
  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
  Mr. David Porter
  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.

  Sir George Young
  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 Authority

  Allocation £

  Eastern

  Aylesbury Vale DC

  44,000

  Ipswich BC

  88,400

  Luton BC

  60,000

  North Bedfordshire BC

  29,700

  South Norfolk DC

  7,500

  St. Albans DC

  16,500

  Waveney DC

  80,000

  Wycombe DC

  156,100

  482,200

  East Midlands

  Boston BC

  22,500

  Chesterfield BC

  57,500

  Gedling BC

  30,000

  Leicester CC

  198,000

  South Kesteven DC

  191,100

  499,900

  8

  Region and Local Authority

  Allocation £

  London

  London Borough Bexley

  46,400

  London Borough Camden

  231,500

  London Borough Harrow

  104,000

  London Borough Hillingdon

  48,700

  London Borough Lambeth

  236,500

  London Borough Southwark

  155,000

  Westminster CC

  220,000

  1,042,100

  Northern

  Alnwick DC

  80,000

  Derwentside DC

  130,000

  Newcastle Upon Tyne CC

  67,000

  Tynedale BC

  138,000

  Wear Valley DC

  85,000

  500,000

  North West

  Barrow in Furness BC

  27,300

  Carlisle CC

  35,100

  Crewe and Nantwich BC

  133,900

  Chester CC

  3,800

  Ellesmere Port and Neston BC

  56,600

  Sefton MBC

  97,300

  South Lakeland DC

  63,700

  Trafford BC

  93,000

  510,700

  South East

  Elmbridge BC

  60,000

  Guildford BC

  40,000

  Hart DC

  45,000

  Hastings BC

  100,000

  Horsham DC

  20,000

  Hove BC

  55,000

  Newbury DC

  144,000

  Worthing BC

  44,900

  488,900

  South West

  North Dorset DC

  76,000

  Penwith DC

  65,000

  Restormel BC

  11,200

  Salisbury DC

  26,200

  Stroud DC

  27,300

  Torbay BC

  200,000

  West Dorset DC

  82,000

  487,700

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Bradford MBC

  100,000

  Hull CC

  116,000

  Leeds CC

  100,000

  Sheffield CC

  200,000

  516,000

  West Midlands

  Sandwell MBC

  200,000

  Solihull MBC

  52,500

  Staffordshire Moorlands DC

  53,500

  Worcester CC

  72,000

  Wrekin DC

  122,000

  500,000

HEALTH

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

  Mr. Sackville
  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
  Mr. Butterfill
  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.

  Mr. Needham
  Parliamentary approval is being sought for a supplementary estimate class IV, vote 5 ECGD:10
  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
  Mr. Butterfill
  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.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  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.