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ECGD
Mr. Cousins: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the amounts of ECGD exposure in each member country of the present Gulf Co-operation Council in each year since 1983. [1344]
Mrs. Roche: ECGD is currently in the process of migrating its business database to a new computer system and for this reason exposure figures can be provided immediately for the last two years only:
| 31 March 1996 | 31 March 1997 | |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 976 | 976 |
| UAE | 270 | 148 |
| Bahrain | 179 | 167 |
| Qatar | 362 | 544 |
| Oman | 677 | 603 |
| Kuwait | 509 | 348 |
I shall write to my hon. Friend with fuller details next month and place a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.
Mr. Cousins:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the total outstanding sum of ECGD (a) exposure and (b) amounts (i) recovered, (ii) not
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recovered, (iii) written off and (iv) rescheduled in each year since 1987-88 for (A) Iraq, (B) Jordan and (C) Nigeria. [1343]
Mrs. Roche:
ECGD is currently in the process of migrating its business database to a new computer system and for this reason I am not immediately in a position to provide the details my hon. Friend has requested.
These details will be available next month and I will write to my hon. Friend with them as soon as possible thereafter and place a copy in the Library of the House.
Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will produce a retail prices index for Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [1581]
Mrs. Liddell:
There are no plans to produce an RPI for Scotland.
Mr. McWalter:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider imposing a windfall tax when Green Belt land is rezoned for development; and if he will make a statement about the removal of incentives for the owners of such land to seek such rezoning. [1888]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson:
It would not be appropriate to comment on any possible tax changes during the run up to the Budget.
Mr. David Marshall:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications of the United States/United Kingdom Tax Treaty and Totalisator Agreement on the payment of a windfall tax by United States entities; with which other countries similar agreements exist; and if he will make a statement. [1736]
Mr. Robinson:
The treatment under the United States/United Kingdom Tax Treaty and Totalisation Agreement of a windfall tax paid by United Kingdom companies can be determined only when the details of the tax are announced and can be considered by the United States authorities. The United Kingdom has similar tax treaties with around 100 other countries worldwide. I understand that the Totalisation Agreement concerns social security matters which do not appear relevant to a windfall tax.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy in respect of the contractual arrangements for catering for No. 11 Downing Street. [1468]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
There are no contractual arrangements for catering at No. 11, as the choice of caterers used is a matter of personal preference. Those used at official functions are security cleared and chosen by officials. Organisers of non-official functions are also strongly advised to use caterers with security clearance.
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Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the estimated average savings per week produced by the reduction in VAT on domestic fuel from 8 per cent. to 5 per cent. for (a) the average household, (b) those in the lowest decile of income distribution, (c) those in the highest decile of income distribution and (d) old age pensioners. [1880]
Ms Primarolo:
A reduction in VAT on domestic fuel and power from 8 per cent. to 5 per cent. would result in estimated savings in 1997-98 of about:
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to allow the holders of additional voluntary contributions to delay receiving their annuity from additional voluntary contributions beyond their retirement; and if he will make a statement. [1802]
Ms Primarolo:
The payment of benefit from additional voluntary contributions is under review.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many political and personal appointments he has made; and at what cost to public funds. [1116]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
Treasury Ministers have appointed four Special Advisers to be paid from public funds. No salaries have yet been agreed. I will write to the right hon. and learned Member with information about the cost to public funds at a later date.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which lead indicators the Treasury evaluated in March 1997 in determining whether interest rates should be eased, tightened or remain the same. [1873]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 2 June 1997]: The minutes of the Monthly Monetary Meeting held on 5 March between the previous Chancellor and the Governor of the Bank of England were published on 23 April 1997.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his oral statement of 20 May, Official Report, column 508, (1) what is his definition (a) descriptively and (b) numerically of price stability; [1861]
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Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 2 June 1997]: The Chancellor will set out the Government's approach to monetary policy in his Mansion House speech on 12 June.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his oral statement of 20 May, Official Report, column 508, what factors could prejudice the Bank of England's ability to achieve price stability whilst supporting the Government's economic policy. [1862]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 2 June 1997]: The Government believe that low inflation is an essential precondition for high and stable levels of growth and employment. However, as we have seen over the past 18 years, excessively loose monetary policies have encouraged short but unsustainable booms, followed by higher inflation, recessions and unemployment. The Chancellor will set out the Government's approach to monetary policy in his Mansion House speech on 12 June.
Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total sum provided in grants, loans and subsidies to the United Kingdom over the past five years from the European Union; and what part of the total was given to bodies within the borough of Southend on Sea. [1692]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 2 June 1997]: The United Kingdom's total public sector receipts from the European Community, together with details of grants from the European Coal and Steel Community, for the financial years 1992-93 to 1996-97 are set out in the following table:
35p per week for the average household; and
35p and 40p per week for those in the lowest and highest deciles respectively. The deciles are based on net income adjusted for household size.
30p per week for households with a pensioner head.
(2) over what time scale the Bank of England will be expected to achieve new inflation targets when they are set. [1870]
| Public sector receipts | ECSC grants | |
|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 2,810 | 47 |
| 1993-94 | 3,865 | 13 |
| 1994-95 | 3,603 | 42 |
| 1995-96 | 3,783 | 51 |
| 1996-97 | 4,542 | 28 |
In addition to public sector receipts there are certain receipts, for research and development, which are mainly paid direct to the private sector and are not covered here.
European Investment Bank loans to projects within the United Kingdom over the period 1992 to 1995 were as follows:
I regret that information is not available on how much of these receipts, grants and loans went to recipients in Southend on Sea.
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Mr. Jack:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the average percentage reduction in household income which would result from the withdrawal of mortgage interest relief for home-owning households with income in each of the ten deciles of household income. [1852]
Ms Primarolo
[holding answer 2 June 1997]: Information for 1997-98 is given in the table. The estimates are based on information projected from the 1994-95 Family Expenditure Survey and are therefore provisional.
Information on 1996 is not yet available.
1992: £1.80 million
1993: £1.50 million
1994: £1.92 million
1995: £1.87 million
| Household income decile group | Average percentage reduction for households with a mortgage |
|---|---|
| Lowest ten per cent. | (2)-- |
| Second | 1.3 |
| Third | 1.6 |
| Fourth | 1.9 |
| Fifth | 1.9 |
| Sixth | 1.6 |
| Seventh | 1.4 |
| Eighth | 1.2 |
| Ninth | 0.9 |
| Highest ten per cent. | 0.7 |
(1) Household income is defined as income from all sources less income tax payments and National Insurance Contributions.
(2) Insufficient data to provide a reliable estimate.
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