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Manufacturing Investment
22. Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will next meet representatives of manufacturing industry to discuss ways in which investments in new manufacturing enterprises can be encouraged. [1607]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson: Treasury Ministers regularly meet representatives from British industry. We are keen to discuss ways of improving investment in new companies, and industry more generally.
Local Tax Offices
23. Mr. Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the reorganisation of local tax offices by the Board of Inland Revenue. [1608]
Dawn Primarolo: Since 1993 the Inland Revenue has been carrying out a 10 year Programme to reorganise its whole network of local offices. Firm plans exist for the period up to mid 1998 and proposals for the remaining period are currently being considered by the Board of Inland Revenue.
Economic and Monetary Union
24. Mr. Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place the issue of the single currency and the protocol on the third stage of economic and monetary union on the agenda for renegotiation at the intergovernmental conference at Amsterdam. [1609]
Mr. Darling: Economic and monetary union (EMU) is not on the IGC agenda. I have no intention of reopening the protocol which protects our right to choose whether to join the third stage of EMU.
Bank of England
25. Mr. Fraser: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with what frequency he plans to meet or communicate with his nominated members of the Bank of England's new monetary policy committee. [1610]
Mr. Gordon Brown: I have no plans to meet or communicate with the four new members of the monetary policy committee in their official capacity. The Treasury will be represented at the committee's meetings in a non-voting capacity.
Unemployment
26. Mr. Paul Clark:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to reduce youth and long-term unemployment. [1611]
12 Jun 1997 : Column: 564
Mr. Darling:
We will give 250,000 under 25s opportunities for work education and training, and encourage employers to take on those unemployed over two years. Further details will be announced in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's Budget.
39. Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about his proposals to reduce youth and long-term unemployment. [1624]
Mr. Darling:
We will give young people aged under 25 opportunities to work, using a £60 per week rebate to employers, to enter full-time education and training, and to do work in the voluntary sector or in a new Environmental Task Force. We aim to help 250,000 young people move from welfare to work. We will also help employers to take on those unemployed over two years with a £75 a week subsidy. An advisory task force, chaired by Sir Peter Davis, will advise on key issues of programme design and implementation, and mobilise the support of employers. Further details will be announced in the Chancellor's Budget.
27. Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the basis on which he will determine his next inflation target. [1612]
Mrs. Liddell:
I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor to the hon. Members for Cambridge (Mrs. Campbell) and for Bradford, South (Mr. Sutcliffe) earlier today.
28. Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed windfall tax on prices charged by the utilities to their consumers. [1613]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson:
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be considering a wide range of factors in reaching his view on the windfall levy. He will be consulting the regulators and will announce details of the levy in his Budget statement.
34. Dr. Fox:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the representations he has received from the National Association of Pension Funds regarding the windfall tax. [1619]
Mr. Robinson:
Treasury Ministers are treating representations from companies and other bodies as confidential.
35. Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the operation of the windfall profits tax. [1620]
Mr. Robinson:
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will announce details of the windfall levy in his Budget statement.
38. Mr. Maude:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what measure of profits he will base the windfall tax. [1623]
12 Jun 1997 : Column: 565
Mr. Robinson:
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will announce details of the windfall levy in his Budget statement.
29. Mrs. Osborne:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to promote private finance projects. [1614]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson:
I announced an immediate review of the machinery of PFI, by Malcolm Bates, the Chairman of Pearl Group and a former member of the Private Finance Panel. That will streamline and improve the process. I have also scrapped the requirement for universal testing of all projects.
30. Mr. Syms:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact of an increased release of local authority capital receipts on the public sector borrowing requirement. [1615]
Mr. Darling:
The release of capital receipts will be phased to meet the requirements of prudent management of the public finances, including having regard to the effect on the PSBR.
31. Mr. Alan W. Williams:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the change in the value of the pound against the basket of international currencies relative to June 1996. [1616]
Mrs. Liddell:
Since June 1996 the pound (on its trade weighted index) has risen by around 16 per cent. The Government want a stable and competitive pound over the medium term, consistent with its objective of price stability.
32. Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much public expenditure has been increased to date by the policy changes initiated by the present Administration. [1617]
Mr. Darling:
There have been no increases to date in the planned level of public expenditure.
33. Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his plans to reduce VAT on domestic fuel. [1618]
Dawn Primarolo:
The Government have a manifesto commitment to cut VAT on domestic fuel and power to 5 per cent.
36. Mr. Fabian Hamilton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution Her Majesty's Treasury has made since 1 May towards combating youth unemployment. [1621]
12 Jun 1997 : Column: 566
Mr. Darling:
The Treasury has been closely involved with other Government Departments in drawing up proposals to help 250,000 people aged between 18 and 25 move off benefit and into work. Further details will be set out in the Chancellor's Budget.
37. Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the needs of businesses/exporters in particular are taken into account in the setting of interest rates. [1622]
Mrs. Liddell:
In setting interest rates, the monetary policy committee of the Bank of England will be able to draw on the information gained from business surveys, and the Bank's network of regional agents which cover the whole of the United Kingdom. The Bank's agents have widespread contacts with companies, both large and small, and other organisations covering all sectors of the economy.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures are in place to ensure that officials of HM Customs and Excise declare their membership of secret societies, with special reference to the Freemasons. [1910]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 6 June 1997]: Customs and Excise publish internal guidance for all staff on personal conduct. This is based on the Civil Service Management Code, which applies not just to members of Customs but to the whole of the civil service.
The policy in respect of membership of societies (secret or otherwise) is based on the following:
Civil servants must not misuse their official position to further their private interests or those of others. Conflicts of interest may arise from official dealings with, or decisions in respect of, individuals who share a civil servants private interests (for example, freemasonry, membership of societies, clubs and other organisations, and family). Where a conflict of interest arises, civil servants must declare their interest to senior management so they can determine how best to proceed.
Members of Customs who feel they have been subject to unfair treatment related to membership of an organisation are encouraged to make a complaint using the Department's normal procedures.
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