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Base Rates
Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what authority base rates are currently set. [2490]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 9 June 1997]: Operational responsibility for setting official interest rates has been transferred to the Bank of England.
Building Societies
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to meet representatives from building societies that have already converted to the status of banks and are unaffected by the Building Societies (Distributions) Act 1997, to discuss the policies they intend to adopt towards distributing windfall payments to disabled savers. [2304]
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Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 9 June 1997]: None.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list (a) the name, (b) the salary, (c) the previous occupation and salary and (d) the terms and conditions of each political and special adviser in his Department; and what was the selection process used to appoint these persons. [2417]
Mr. Gordon Brown
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: The paid Special Advisers appointed to the Treasury are Ed Balls, Charlie Whelan, Edward Miliband and Andrew Maugham.
The terms and conditions of each appointment are set out in the draft model contract, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Special Advisers are paid within a range of £24,349 to £73,484. Their salaries are negotiated individually and are confidential within this range. Details of this and of previous salary and occupation are not provided in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.
These are personal appointments by the Chief Secretary and me, following consultation with the Permanent Head of the Department and the Prime Minister.
Mrs. Ballard:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to make changes to the national non-domestic rating system, and specifically to reduce the multiplier for small shops in local shopping centres. [2549]
Mr. Raynsford:
I have been asked to reply.
There are sound democratic reasons why business rates should be set locally. I am aware that many small businesses are concerned about their rates bills. We will consult widely and take these concerns into account as we develop our policies.
5. Mr. Cash:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will resist the proposals in the draft treaty of Amsterdam for the Court of Justice to be given jurisdiction in relation to justice and home affairs in the European Union. [1162]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The Government would only agree to any increase in the role of the European Court of Justice where that is compatible with the UK interest.
22. Mr. Peter Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited St. Helena to discuss economic affairs. [1179]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not visited St. Helena and has no immediate plans to do so.
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23. Mr. Rhodri Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations he has set in train for the UK presidency of the European Council of Ministers and its summit meetings. [1180]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Planning for the Presidency is already underway. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary chairs a Ministerial Task Force on the UK Presidency which has looked at a number of issues including policy priorities and presentational strategy. In addition to the European Council being held in Cardiff in June 1998, other Summit level meetings might include: a Council of Heads of State or Government to decide the participants in stage III of EMU; an event to mark the formal start of the EU Enlargement process; a number of meetings with third countries. Copies of the preliminary Calendar of Councils for our Presidency have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
24. Ms Dean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards Kashmir. [1181]
34. Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on Kashmir. [1191]
Mr. Fatchett:
We are deeply concerned by the continuing conflict in Kashmir and support the search for a just and lasting solution. We condemn the acts of terrorism and the abuses of human rights which bring suffering to the population. We call for an end to all external support for violence in Kashmir. We welcome the dialogue between India and Pakistan and urge them to pursue meaningful talks on Kashmir and the other issues that divide them.
35. Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to meet representatives of India and Pakistan to discuss Kashmir. [1192]
Mr. Fatchett:
I refer the hon. Member to the response that I gave earlier in the House today to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike).
25. Mrs. Betty Williams:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the measures taken in his Department in co-operation with the Department of Trade and Industry to promote Britain's export trade. [1182]
Mr. Fatchett:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given earlier in the House today by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to the hon. Member for Stourbridge (Ms Shipley).
26. Dr. Godman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met his counterparts from other member states of the European Union to discuss matters relating to the membership and structure of the Security Council of the United Nations. [1183]
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Mr. Tony Lloyd:
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not yet had the opportunity for a discussion of these issues with his European Union counterparts.
31. Mr. Hanson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made towards the United Kingdom signing the social chapter. [1188]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
We have made clear our commitment to signing up to the Social Chapter. Incorporation of the Chapter into the main EC Treaty and its extension to the UK are being considered within the Inter-Governmental Conference. The target for conclusion of the IGC is the Amsterdam European Council on 16-17 June.
27. Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have for signing up to the European social chapter provisions allowing for qualified majority voting. [1184]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
We have made clear our intention to sign up to all the existing provisions of the Social Chapter. Qualified majority voting already applies to areas such as working conditions, equal opportunities for men and women, and health and safety. but we will not agree any extension of QMV to areas vital to competitiveness.
28. Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the role of human rights in the Government's foreign policy. [1185]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave earlier in the House today to the hon. Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton).
29. Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Cyprus to discuss an equitable and lasting settlement. [1186]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
We are strongly in favour of a settlement as I made clear in the Adjournment Debate on Cyprus on 4 June. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Cyprus in January, and discussed the Cyprus problem with President Clerides, Mr. Denktash, and a broad range of politicians and business leaders from both communities. There are no arrangements at present for a further meeting.
37. Mr. Burns:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects for a settlement in Cyprus. [1195]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
A solution to the Cyprus problem is more urgent than ever. I urge both sides to work constructively with the UN for face-to-face negotiations leading to a comprehensive political settlement. We will continue to work actively to support that process.
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