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Written Parliamentary Questions
Ms Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will raise the advisory cost limit of £450 for answering written parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement. [10265]
Mrs. Liddell: The advisory cost limit was last increased in 1993--Official Report, 18 February 1993, column 307--and is to be further increased to £500 from today.
The purpose and application of the advisory cost limit remain unchanged. It is intended to act as a threshold for disproportionate cost parliamentary questions. Any written PQ where the marginal cost of preparing the answer is considered likely to exceed the threshold may be refused in whole or in part on the ground of disproportionate cost. Alternatively, the Minister may decide that the PQ is to be answered irrespective of cost. There is no advisory limit for oral PQs.
The advisory limit continues to be based on eight times the average marginal cost for written PQs, which is now £62, rounded to the nearest £50 for convenience of application.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all seizures of ivory made by Her Majesty's Customs between 1 January 1996 and 30 June 1997, giving date, quantity, type, whether whole or pieces of raw tusk, semi-worked or worked ivory, country of origin and intended country of destination for each seizure. [8166]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 14 July 1997]: The records maintained by HM Customs and Excise of finalised ivory seizures do not include all the details requested, but I am able to supply the following information for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 March 1997, which are the latest figures available. With one exception, an export to Japan, the seizures were made at the time of importation into the United Kingdom, the presumed country of destination.
The description "carving" embraces a miscellany of worked ivory wares such as bracelets, statuettes, animal figurines and other ornaments.
21 Jul 1997 : Column: 443
21 Jul 1997 : Column: 444
Multiple Births
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many sets of (a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in England and Wales in each year since 1990; and how many maternities there were in each year. [8174]
Mrs. Liddell: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange a reply to be given.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Dafydd Wigley, dated 21 July 1997:
21 Jul 1997 : Column: 443
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply, as Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), to your recent parliamentary question on multiple births.
The requested data are shown in the table below.
| 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singletons | 692,885 | 685,477 | 675,329 | 659,962 | 650,826 | 633,366 | 634,979 |
| Twins | 7,934 | 8,160 | 8,314 | 8,302 | 8,451 | 8,749 | 8,615 |
| Triplets | 201 | 208 | 202 | 234 | 260 | 282 | 259 |
| Quadruplets | 10 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Quintuplets | -- | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Sextuplets | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- |
| Septuplets | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
| Total | 701,030 | 693,857 | 683,854 | 668,511 | 659,545 | 642,404 | 643,862 |
21 Jul 1997 : Column: 443
Oil Revenue
Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the expected revenues to the Exchequer for each of the next 10 years arising from development of the British oil fields west of the Shetland Islands. [8048]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 17 July 1997]: Reliable forecasts are not available.
21 Jul 1997 : Column: 444
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what previous occasions the Treasury has announced by press release anti-avoidance tax measures to take effect from Budget day but not to be enacted until the Finance Bill in a subsequent year. [8139]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 11 July 1997]: None, as far as I am aware.
21 Jul 1997 : Column: 445
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which of his advisers had meetings with Robert Peston of the Financial Times prior to the Budget statement; and if they gave Mr. Peston any information concerning the Budget proposals on advance corporation tax; [7691]
(3) which of his advisers gave information to Robert Peston at the Financial Times concerning his proposals on ACT in the Budget prior to the delivery of the Budget statement to the House. [7692]
Mr. Gordon Brown
[holding answer 10 July 1997]: Neither I nor my advisers gave Robert Peston any information about the Budget proposals on ACT in advance of my Budget statement.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about his proposed abolition of foreign income dividends. [8138]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 11 July 1997]: Several companies with major international interests have made representations concerning foreign income dividends. We wish to foster the United Kingdom's role as a centre for international business. As both the Chief Secretary and the Paymaster General have made clear, we are looking sympathetically at the position of UK groups with substantial foreign income.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's plans regarding foreign income dividends. [8703]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 15 July 1997]: Payment of foreign income dividends will cease from 6 April 1999. However, in order to maintain the United Kingdom's role as a centre for international business, provision will be made in the next Finance Bill to ensure that international headquarters companies can continue to pay dividends out of foreign income without having to pay advance corporation tax.
(2) which of his advisers travelled back in the same aeroplane from the G7 summit as Robert Peston of the Financial Times; [7693]
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