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Mr. Lang : Comprehensive information in the form requested is not available. Between January 1979 and December 1989, a total of £321 million of regional selective assistance under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 was offered in Scotland to companies whose ultimate ownership lay outside the United Kingdom, and £297 million was offered to domestically owned companies. The average size of offer made to foreign owned companies was £0.81 million and to domestically owned companies £0.17 million, reflecting the fact that inward investors tend to set up larger projects. Not all of these offers were taken up. A total of £284 million of this assistance was offered to foreign owned companies since the formation of Locate in Scotland in 1981.
Corresponding information for other types of assistance and data by size of company are not available, or could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Locate in Scotland
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total running cost of Locate in Scotland.
Mr. Lang : The total running cost of Locate in Scotland in the most recently completed year, 1988-89, was approximately £4 million.
Computer Security
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department has taken, and is taking to improve the security of its computer systems.
Mr. Rifkind : For unclassified but sensitive systems my Department follows Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) guidance covering all aspects of information technology security and the application of this has recently been tightened up. CCTA advice is kept under continuous review and is based on analysis of security risks and requirements using structured methods such as CCTA's risk analysis and
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management methodology (CRAMM) which has also been made commercially available. More stringent conditions apply to classified systems.Pensioners (Bus Passes)
Mr. Robert Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the estimated cost (a) to community charge payers and (b) to business rate payers of providing free bus travel for pensioners in each of the regional councils in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : While community charge payers and business rate payers contribute to local authorities' income, from which the cost of services are met, it is not possible to attribute the cost of a service to a particular source of income.
Mr. Robert Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the estimated cost of providing free bus travel to pensioners in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Local authorities have estimated the cost of providing concessionary travel on public transport for pensioners and disabled persons in 1989-90 at £42.7 million. The cost for pensioners only is not available centrally.
Ethnically-Based Statistics on School Pupils"
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his circular No. 8, "Ethnically-Based Statistics on School Pupils", with specific reference to (a) how widely he anticipates the circulation of the document to be, with specific reference to the preparation of individual schools within education authorities which he expects to receive it, (b) whether the onus of responsibility for circulation falls primarily upon the education authority or upon individual schools ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : These are matters for education authorities, to whom the circular is addressed. The circular invites authorities to issue appropriate guidance to schools and/or to offer training to staff involved in the collection of data.
Electricity Privatisation
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the organisations, firms and individual advisers which have advised or are now advising his Department on any aspect of the privatisation of electricity, including any jointly instructed for this purpose with the Department of Energy, giving in each case the dates of their involvement and the aspect on which they advise.
Mr. Rifkind : The information requested is set out in the table. Each of the advisers' involvement is continuing. No appointments have been made jointly with the Department of Energy.
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Name |Function |Date of
|appointment
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barclays de Zoete Wedd Ltd. |Financial advisers |August 1987
The British Linen Bank |Financial advisers |August 1987
Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte |Regulation, accounting, |October 1987
|contracts, tax advisers
McGrigor Donald |Legal advisers |October 1987
Merz and McLellan |Technical advisers |October 1987
Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte (formerly Deloitte Haskins and Sells) |Reporting accountants<2> |September 1988
KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock |Reporting accountants<3> |September 1988
de Zoete and Bevan |Stockbroking advisers |January 1989
Bell Lawrie Ltd. |Stockbroking advisers |January 1989
Citigate Communications Ltd. |PR and marketing advisers<1> |February 1989
PR Consultants Scotland |PR and marketing advisers<1> |February 1989
British Market Research Bureau |Market research advisers<1> |February 1989
Salomon Brothers International |Overseas financial advisers<1>|June 1989
Jones Lang Wootton |Property advisers |August 1989
Ernst and Young |Nuclear advisers |August 1989
James Barr and Son |Valuers<2> |November 1989
Ryden |Valuers<2> |November 1989
Knight Frank and Rutley |Valuers<2> |November 1989
Richard Ellis |Valuers<2> |November 1989
Lickley Procter and Burnett |Valuers<3> |November 1989
Finlayson Hughes |Valuers<3> |November 1989
Bidwells and King |Valuers<3> |November 1989
Strutt and Parker |Valuers<3> |November 1989
N. J. Coward |Valuers<3> |November 1989
David A. Adamson and Partners |Valuers<3> |November 1989
West Highland Estates Office |Valuers<3> |November 1989
Webster and Co. |Valuers<3> |November 1989
National Westminster Bank plc |Lead receiving bank |January 1990
Willis Wrightson Scotland Ltd. |Insurance advisers<1> |January 1990
<1> Jointly with SSEB and NSHEB.
<2> Jointly with SSEB.
<3> Jointly with NSHEB.
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current estimate of the total fees which will be paid by his Department in connection with the privatisation of the Scottish electricity industry to the end of March 1989, for the current year, and in total.
Mr. Rifkind : Expenditure to the end of March 1989 amounted to £2.7 million and the revised provision for the current year is £4.95 million. Latest forecasts of requirements for 1990-91 will be published as part of the Supply Estimates in March. The overall costs of privatisation will be made available once flotation has been completed.
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Greater Glasgow Health Board
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide detailed information on the contracts awarded by the Greater Glasgow health board in connection with the Government's competitive tendering initiative ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : As at 31 December 1989, Greater Glasgow health board had let 54 contracts--32 in-house and 22 to private contractors. Costs, savings and other relevant details are set out in the table :
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Contract details |Total price of |Projected |Unsuccessful |Estimated |Number of |Redundancies
|successful bid |annual |in-house |redundancy |redundancies |(whole-time
|savings |tender |payments |equivalent)
|£ |£ |£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belvidere Group
Domestic |432,399 |231,806 |- |241,740 |113 |72
Portering |372,206 |192,851 |442,335 |179,394 |46 |44
Belvidere/Lightburn
Catering |422,300 |62,365 |- |83,499 |15 |13
Canniesburn/Drumchapel
Catering |449,260 |119,046 |- |143,999 |34 |23
Domestic |249,060 |154,369 |274,493 |65,884 |86 |54
Portering |302,306 |97,106 |- |86,871 |19 |18
Community East
Domestic |60,646 |72,191 |31 |n/a
|114,063 |30,696
SE and SW
Domestic |70,291 |99,548 |16 |16
N and W
Domestic |139,198 |81,802 |147,512 |18,044 |57 |n/a
Gartloch
Catering |447,943 |35,464 |- |31,155 |8 |n/a
Gartoch/Parkhead
Domestic |459,978 |45,275 |- |24,001 |45 |n/a
Portering |205,638 |80,404 |- |8,883 |5 |5
Gartnavel
Catering |1,376,117 |266,765 |- |16,434 |7 |n/a
Portering |314,687 |315,168 |371,256 |63,761 |73 |70
Garnavel General
Domestic |312,045 |337,520 |400,757 |96,098 |157 |95
Garnavel Royal
Domestic |360,118 |59,448 |390,220 |135,786 |102 |54
Portering |161,400 |84,991 |181,272 |60,660 |21 |18
Glasgow Royal
Catering |1,545,364 |406,949 |1,884,700 |203,016 |161 |n/a
Domestic |953,971 |472,241 |1,022,020 |173,221 |338 |205
Portering |510,783 |734,491 |1,057,300 |368,985 |126 |126
Knightswood Group
Catering |331,189 |93,758 |- |74,937 |31 |n/a
Domestic |189,164 |110,408 |- |154,878 |52 |33
Portering |87,870 |46,525 |- |12,948 |2 |2
Lennox Castle
Hotel |1,597,642 |332,952 |- |175,014 |102 |66
Leverndale
Domestic |502,245 |92,559 |- |162,721 |73 |n/a
Portering |172,860 |85,622 |194,319 |39,465 |23 |22
Leverndale/Cowglen
Catering |774,603 |459,276 |- |123,576 |61 |48
Mearnskirk/Phillipshill
Catering |417,936 |72,968 |- |98,902 |22 |20
Domestic |291,432 |97,915 |- |53,016 |53 |41
Portering |139,926 |66,081 |- |16,344 |5 |5
Parkhead/Duke Street
Catering |325,802 |104,486 |- |13,320 |8 |7
Queen Mother/Royal
Hospital for Sick Children
Portering |253,469 |171,429 |283,400 |122,349 |37 |35
Royal Maternity/Rutherglen
Catering |308,250 |107,428 |- |88,511 |27 |20
Domestic |265,917 |123,683 |301,494 |156,354 |87 |52
Portering |181,885 |104,887 |207,842 |89,808 |24 |23
Ruchill Group
Catering |653,391 |58,345 |- |57,702 |17 |13
Domestic |416,000 |172,203 |- |166,634 |76 |n/a
Portering |249,482 |93,634 |294,582 |150,795 |40 |40
Southern General/Cowglen
Portering |698,444 |234,700 |783,792 |332,919 |87 |87
Southern General/Darnley
Catering |1,302,850 |154,093 |- |135,570 |77 |48
Southern Group
Domestic |856,893 |537,108 |- |297,337 |106 |n/a
Stobhill
Catering |1,203,700 |73,147 |- |106,340 |46 |34
Domestic |820,381 |531,211 |1,033,300 |190,497 |333 |n/a
Portering |518,944 |462,995 |610,658 |408,120 |93 |91
Victoria Group
Catering |841,201 |402,143 |- |150,012 |44 |n/a
Domestic |582,302 |144,733 |755,900 |93,233 |145 |n/a
Portering |333,539 |144,481 |- |86,367 |17 |17
Western Infirmary
Domestic |548,099 |276,172 |- |92,620 |97 |76
Portering |477,100 |300,199 |- |190,956 |44 |43
Woodilee/Stoneyetts
Catering |536,393 |49,504 |- |63,450 |38 |n/a
Domestic |331,506 |268,079 |412,350 |56,027 |139 |79
Portering |147,976 |126,244 |- |22,593 |28 |27
Yorkhill/Queen Mothers
Catering |468,100 |233,697 |- |87,207 |25 |21
Domestic |425,550 |173,094 |- |174,117 |91 |n/a
n/a=Not available.
Education Expenditure
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the capital expenditure on local authority schools in each of the past 10 years in cash and constant price terms.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 5 February 1990] : The information is given in the following table, which has been compiled from local authority financial returns. The reduction in expenditure in real terms during the period reflects a substantial and progressive decline in pupil numbers which in turn reduced the requirement for new school building.
Capital expenditure by local authorities on
schools (£ million)
Year |At outturn|At 1988-89
|prices |prices
--------------------------------------------
1979-80 |47.598 |89.625
1980-81 |52.301 |83.214
1981-82 |60.404 |87.534
1982-83 |52.378 |70.793
1983-84 |45.098 |58.235
1984-85 |46.099 |56.711
1985-86 |51.276 |59.864
1986-87 |46.506 |52.524
1987-88 |48.260 |51.761
<1>1988-89 |59.392 |59.392
<1> Provisional.
The figures include expenditure on nursery, primary, secondary and special schools. Outturn figures have been converted to 1988-89 prices using the GDP deflator.
Cochlear Implants
Mr. Robert Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much additional finance he has made available (a) in total to health boards in Scotland and (b) to each health board in Scotland, to enable a programme of cochlear implants to be established ; and when he expects such programmes to commence.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 6 February 1990] : With effect from 1 April 1990, a total of £200,000 will be made available each year for the next three years to support the programme of cochlear implants in Scotland which I announced on 11 January. Of that amount, £150,000 per annum will be allocated to Ayrshire and Arran health board which already has an established programme and has built up considerable expertise in this procedure.
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A number of surgeons elsewhere in Scotland have expressed interest in developing this exciting new technique which greatly enhances the quality of life for some deaf people. Accordingly, bids will be invited from other health boards for the remaining £50,000 per annum to facilitate the development of a second centre.SOCIAL SECURITY
SERPS
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of (a) contribution rebates and (b) greater payments to those withdrawing from SERPS in (i) 1987-88, (ii) 1988-89 and (iii) 1989-90.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I refer the hon. Member to appendix 7 of the report by the Government Actuary on the Drafts of the Social Security Benefits Uprating Order 1990 and the Social Security (Contributions, Re- Rating) Order 1990 (Cm 948), a copy of which is in the Library.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the total number of contributors leaving SERPS by the end of this financial year ; what has been the total cost of incentive payments to them ; and what was the total loss of contributions to the fund in the financial year.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : It is not possible to give an estimate of the number of people who will have left SERPS in this financial year to become members of an occupational or personal pension scheme, but it is anticipated that the vast majority of those taking out a personal pension will previously have been in SERPS.
The Government Actuary's estimate of revenue forgone by the national insurance fund in 1990-91 through payment of the incentive for personal pensions and new contracted-out schemes in respect of 1989-90 is £615 million. His estimate of total revenue forgone in 1990-91 in respect of the incentive and the standard rebates is £2, 115 million.
Community Charge
Mr. Butterfill : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are his present estimates of (a) expenditure on community charge benefit, (b) the average number of
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benefit cases and (c) the number of charge payers that will be helped by community charge benefit in England, Scotland and Wales in 1990-91.Column 682
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information is in the table.
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Community Charge Benefit 1990-91
|England |Scotland |Wales |Great Britain
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Government grant to local
authorities: (£ billion) |£1.45 |£0.22 |£0.07 |£1.75
Average number of benefit cases
(million) |6.5 |0.9 |0.4 |7.9
Average number of chargepayers
helped by Community Charge
Benefit: (millions) |8.1 |1.15 |0.5 |9.75
In addition, adjustments were made in April 1989 to the income-related benefits, to help claimants pay their minimum contribution to the community charge, at a cost of more than £500 million in Great Britain (£400 million in England).
Attendance Allowance
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons in each of the past five years died before their claim for attendance allowance had been processed.
Mr. Scott : I regret that this information is not available.
Child Benefit
Mr. Raison : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage uprating of child benefit is allowed for in the Government's latest expenditure plans for 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I refer my right hon. Friend to paragraph 62 and table 14.1 of the public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 1014) published last month.
National Insurance
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Scotland paid the appropriate national insurance contributions for self-employed status in every year since 1979.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I regret that the information requested is not available.
Pensioners (Australia, New Zealand and Canada)
Sir John Farr : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to make pension increases when paid at home available to British pensioners living in (a) Australia and (b) New Zealand ;
(2) whether he now has any plans to make pension increases when paid at home available to British pensioners living in Canada.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : We have no plans at present to pay annual increases in retirement pensions to United Kingdom pensioners living in Australia, New Zealand or Canada.
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Disability Allowance
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that existing beneficiaries of attendance allowance have their level of benefits protected and increased once the new disability allowance is introduced ;
Mr. Scott : The introduction of the disability allowance will not affect the level of benefit paid to existing recipients of attendance allowance. We will continue to review the level of the benefit annually. The same procedure will apply to the new disability allowance when it is introduced.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that existing beneficiaries of mobility allowance have their level of benefits protected and increased once the new disability allowance is introduced.
Mr. Scott : The introduction of the disability allowance will not affect the level of benefit paid to existing recipients of mobility allowance. We will continue to review the level of the benefit annually. The same procedure will apply to the new disability allowance when introduced.
Disabled People
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who are in receipt of severe disablement allowance are (a) in receipt of income support and (b) in receipt of another means-tested benefit.
Mr. Scott : I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 7 February 1990 at columns 577 -78.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who are in receipt of severe disablement allowance will gain an increase in their real disposable income as a result of the new proposed age-related additions to severe disablement allowance.
Mr. Scott : I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 19 January at columns 483-84.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's estimate of the number of disabled people who have extra costs above the existing rates of attendance and mobility allowance.
Mr. Scott : The most up-to-date information available is contained in the 1985 Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' surveys of disabled adults and disabled children
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in private households and shows that about 95,000 recipients of attendance allowance or mobility allowance reported additional disability-related expenditure in excess of the amounts of those benefits which they were receiving. That takes no account of any additional help with disability-related costs which they may have been receiving through other benefits, including supplementary benefit. About 700,000 recipients of attendance allowance and mobility allowance reported additional disability-related expenditure that was less than the amounts of benefit received. The 1988 social security reforms have since introduced extra help specifically for disabled people on the lowest incomes.Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to increase the level of severe disablement allowance to the level of basic invalidity benefit in line with the Social Security Advisory Committee's recommendation.
Mr. Scott : The Social Security Bill currently before the House introduces age-related additions to severe disablement allowance. We have no present plans to bring the rate of the allowance up to the level of invalidity benefit.
Hospital Visits
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, for each month since January 1989, what was the total number of grants awarded by the Caernarfon social security office to assist those visiting patients in hospitals.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, for each month since January 1989, what was the total amount of grants allowed by the Llangefni social security office to assist those visiting patients in hospitals.
Mr. Scott : I regret that this information is not collected.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Guatemala
15. Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to raise human rights violations in Guatemala at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Mr. Maude : There is currently a UN special adviser on human rights in Guatemala. His report is likely to be discussed at the 46th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Helsinki Agreement
16. Mr. Allen McKay : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement regarding the USSR's fulfilment of its outstanding human rights obligations following on from the Helsinki agreement.
Mr. Waldegrave : Despite substantial progress in Soviet human rights performance under Mr. Gorbachev, the Soviet Union is still some way from meeting its international obligations in full. In particular there are still a considerable number of unresolved refusenik cases, on which we continue to press the Soviet authorities.
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Romania
17. Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit Romania.
Mr. Waldegrave : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs hopes to be able to visit Romania in the next few months.
Iraq
18. Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received about the position of Kurdish people in Iraq.
Mr. Waldegrave : We receive regular representations from individuals and organisations about the position of the Kurdish minorities in Iraq. We take every opportunity to make clear to the Iraqi Government at all levels our continuing disquiet at Iraq's human rights record and their treatment of its Kurdish population.
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the United Kingdom's relations with Iraq.
Mr. Waldegrave : We attach importance to our bilateral relationship with Iraq and have regular contact with Iraqi Ministers. This allows us to discuss regional issues and to make clear our concerns on such matters as the continuing detention in Iraq of British subjects and reports of Iraqi human rights abuses. We also have important trading links : United Kingdom exports to Iraq in 1989 rose by over 9 per cent. compared with 1988.
Palestinian Self-Determination
19. Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will launch an initiative to encourage moves towards Palestinian self-determination.
Mr. Waldegrave : We support Palestinian self-determination and are closely involved in current efforts to promote a dialogue between Israel and representative Palestinians, as an important step towards a settlement.
South Africa
20. Mr. Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement on United Kingdom policy towards the latest developments in South Africa.
Mr. Waldegrave : The moves President de Klerk announced on 2 February are an historic landmark on the road to a new South Africa. We urge opposition groups such as the ANC, PAC and others, to respond positively and join in negotiations to achieve a peaceful transition to a non-racial South Africa.
21. Mr Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent communications he has had with the Government of South Africa ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : We maintain regular contact with the South African authorities on a wide range of issues, both here and via Her Majesty's ambassador.
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66. Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government have undertaken to secure the implementation of UNSCR 432 on Walvis bay.
Mr. Waldegrave : As we and other members of the contact group made clear when UNSCR 432 was adopted, we are prepared to offer diplomatic support to achieve a successful negotiation on the issue of Walvis bay between the Governments of an independent Namibia and South Africa.
59. Mr. Clay : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for the United Nations arms embargo against South Africa of proposed changes in the COCOM system of controls of military and strategic exports.
Mr. Waldegrave : There are no implications for the United Nations arms embargo.
54. Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact he has had recently with the Foreign Minister of South Africa.
Mr. Waldegrave : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not yet met Mr. Botha but has contact through normal diplomatic channels.
49. Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Republic of South Africa regarding the release of all political detainees.
Mr. Waldegrave : We have made frequent representations on behalf of detainees in South Africa. We will continue to urge the South African Government either to charge or release unconditionally all those so detained.
30. Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for stability in southern Africa of South Africa's expansion of military facilities in Walvis bay.
Mr. Waldegrave : We have no evidence of such expansion. On 19 January the South African Government announced that the naval base at Walvis bay would be scaled down as part of a wide-ranging package of defence cuts.
CSCE
22. Mr. Tredinnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in the light of the recent changes in eastern Europe, he is in favour of reconvening the Conference on Security and Co- operation in Europe ; to what extent he sees the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe as a vehicle for increased East-West European co- operation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : On 20 January, in Dublin, EC Foreign Ministers agreed in principle to a CSCE summit meeting in 1990. We view this as an opportune proposal. The CSCE process has a valuable role to play in overcoming East-West barriers. We should use it imaginatively in the months ahead.
Column 686
25. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his European Community counterparts regarding the creation of a forum other than the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe to discuss European co- operation and security matters.
Mr. Maude : None. At the European Council in Strasbourg on 8-9 December 1989, EC Heads of State and Government pointed to the vitality of the CSCE process, describing it as a means of establishing new relations among European countries in the areas of security, economic and technical co-operation and of human rights.
Inter-governmental Conference
23. Mr. Gill : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out his objectives for the forthcoming European Community inter-governmental conference.
Mr. Maude : Our objective is practical progress towards a robust and realistic form of economic and monetary union, with full regard to democratic accountability and the doctrine of subsidiarity.
85. Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the progress being made in the EEC Council of Ministers on preparations for the December 1990 inter- governmental conference of the Community ; and if he will make a statement on current proposals to augment the terms of reference and scope of the conference.
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