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Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Timms:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the Government propose to reflect local government reorganisation in the European regional classification known as NUTS. [6788]
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Mrs. Liddell:
The Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics (NUTS) is the European Commission's classification of sub-national areas for statistical purposes, and is managed by Eurostat, the Commission's statistical office. The Government Statistical Service has drafted a new NUTS structure for the UK which takes account of Government Office regions and local government reorganisation. The draft structure was the subject of wide consultation last summer, and the results of that consultation are incorporated in the final proposals. Dr. Holt, the Director of the Office for National Statistics, has submitted the proposals to Eurostat for their consideration. Copies of the proposals, and a report on the consultation of last year, are being placed in the Libraries of the House today.
Mr. Denzil Davies:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct the Bank of England to place in the Library the press notices which it issues announcing each month's decision of its Monetary Policy Committee in respect of the official dealing rate. [5878]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 30 June 1997]: The announcements of the Monetary Policy Committee's decisions will be placed in the House of Commons Library by the Bank of England.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the implications of the policy of open government for the release of Treasury analysis of the effects of proposed taxation at the time of the Budget statement. [5981]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 30 June 1997]: Information and analysis of the effects of the Budget are widely available by a number of means, in accordance with open Government Principles.
The main source is the Financial Statement and Budget Report (FSBR), but information is also published in a Pocket Budget format, on computer disc and Treasury press releases. All published Treasury material is also available on the Internet. Other Government Departments and agencies also publish relevant Budget Information.
Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list (a) the current formula for the determination of Scottish block expenditure, (b) each area of English expenditure to which it applies, (c) the changes that have been made to the formula since 1978 and (d) the level of Scottish block expenditure (i) planned, (ii) forecast and (iii) outturn, in each year between 1978-79 and 1997-98 at current and constant prices; and what plans he has to review the formula. [4218]
Mr. Darling
[holding answer 19 June 1997]: The existing Block arrangements are governed by the Barnett formula established in 1978.
The Scottish Block changes by 10.66 per cent. of any changes made to provision for analogous English programmes in the course of the public expenditure survey and 10.06 per cent. of any changes to provision for analogous programmes which cover England and
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Wales. The Block covers all expenditure by the Scottish Office and associated Departments except for that on Agriculture and Fisheries and on Nationalised Industries. The areas of comparable English, or English and Welsh, expenditure are: industry enterprise and training; roads and transport; housing; other environmental services; law, order and protective services; education and sport; arts and libraries; health; social work services; other public services; central government support to local authorities.
Since the introduction of the Block the only significant change to the 1991 population based formula was made in 1992 to reflect the 1991 population Census.
The Government will set out its proposals for the future financing of public expenditure in Scotland under devolution, in a White Paper which will be published before the recess.
Information on the Scottish Block from 1985-86 is contained in the Scottish Office Departmental Reports published since 1991. Information for earlier years is contained in the Scottish Chapter in Part 2 of the Public Expenditure White Papers. (It will be noted that the composition of the Scottish Block has changed over time and that the price bases are different).
Mr. Baldry:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what use his Department is making of the new engineering contract in construction work for which it is responsible. [3429]
Mr. Spellar:
My Department has not let any contracts under New Engineering Contract (NEC) terms to date, but future use of the NEC is being examined as part of a review of our contractual arrangements conducted against the background of the Latham Report.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many series of technical papers or reports have been produced by the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment since 1967; what were the titles of each series; what were the dates of each paper; how many papers or reports were published in each series; and how many of the papers and reports in each series are currently unclassified. [5682]
Mr. Spellar:
Because of classification considerations and the volume of documentation it is not possible to respond in precisely the terms asked. However, between 1953 and 1970, the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment produced four main series of technical reports: B, (Bomb); E, (Weapon Effects); 0, (Research); and T, (Trials). Further separate series covered administrative and contractual matters and reports by AWRE Divisions. About 300 reports from the B and E Series from that period are due for transfer to the Public Records Office by October 1997. My noble Friend, the Minister for Defence Procurement will write to the hon. Member at that time with details of these reports and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House of Commons.
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Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will take action against companies which fail to meet claims for compensation on credit card transactions made overseas. [5690]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
It is primarily a matter for the individual concerned to take action in such circumstances, through the courts if necessary. In so far as there may be a question of a company's fitness to hold a consumer credit licence, I look to the Director General of Fair Trading to act with his usual vigour.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will review the adequacy of consumer protection measures contained in section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. [5689]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
I am considering all aspects of the Consumer Credit Act. The Director General of Fair Trading monitors the working of the Act and administers the consumer credit licensing system, and I have asked him to advise me on this matter.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to make a decision on the proposed merger between Stena and P&O Ferries. [4388]
Mrs. Beckett:
The Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) report on the proposed merger between P&O and Stena will be published as quickly as is practicable. I cannot comment on the likely publication date of the MMC report or its contents, which remain confidential until publication. Copies of the report will be laid before Parliament at the same time as it is published.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will consider the application of section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, to cover credit card transactions made overseas. [5858]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
I am considering all aspects of the Consumer Credit Act. The Director General of Fair Trading monitors the working of the Act and administers the consumer credit licensing system, and I have asked him to advise me on this matter.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list each person advising or assisting her Department who has (a) membership of and (b) involvement in (i) the European Round Table of Industrialists, (ii) the European Centre for Infrastructure Studies, (iii) the Competitiveness Advisory Group, (iv) Transatlantic Business Dialogue, (v) the Association for the Monetary Union of Europe, (vi) Union of Industrial and Employers Confederations of Europe, (vii) Europe Bio and (viii) the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. [5311]
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Mrs. Beckett:
Membership of the European Round Table of Industrialists, the Competitiveness Group and the Transatlantic Business Dialogue is on a personal basis. Sir Peter Bonfield is a member of the European Round Table and also advises the Department as a member of the Table Policy Forum.
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