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Central Gilts Settlement System
Mr. Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to make the provision of services to sponsored members in the updated central gilts settlement system an authorisable activity under the Financial Services Act 1986. [11143]
Mrs. Liddell:
When the House resumes in October, Her Majesty's Treasury will lay a statutory instrument extending the activities requiring authorisation under the
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Financial Services Act 1986 so as to cover the sending of dematerialised instructions on behalf of third parties and certain related activities to the central gilts office service.
Mr. Gorrie:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the implications of the removal of local authority self-financed expenditure from the control total for meeting (a) the Maastricht criteria, (b) the golden rule and (c) the control of public finance; [8021]
Mr. Darling:
The Government have already announced their plans for 1997-98 and 1998-99, in which local authority self-financed expenditure remains in the control total.
Mr. Colvin:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on the appointment of special advisers to Her Majesty's Treasury. [1598]
Mrs. Liddell
[pursuant to her reply, 12 June 1997, c. 1276]: A model contract of employment and an outline of the pay system for special advisers, which were attached to the Prime Minister's minute of 19 May to Cabinet colleagues, have been placed in the Library of the House. The Prime Minister's minute was an internal Government document and it would not be appropriate to disclose its contents.
(2) if he will remove local authority self-financed expenditure from the control total. [7927]
Low Pay Commission
Mr. Alan Johnson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement concerning the appointment of members to serve on the Low Pay Commission. [11225]
Mrs. Beckett: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has appointed the following individuals to serve on the Low Pay Commission which will advise the Government on the rate at which the national minimum wage might be set:
- David Metcalf: Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics
- Stephanie Monk: Director of Human resources for the Granada Group
- Paul Gates: General Secretary of the Knitwear, Footwear and Apparel Trades Union (KFAT)
- John Cridland: Director of Human Resources Policy for the CBI
- Rita Donaghy: Member of the National Executive Council of UNISON
- Lawrence Dewar: Chief Executive of the Scottish Grocers' Federation
- Bill Callaghan: Head of the TUC Economic and Social Affairs Department
- William Brown: Professor of Industrial Relations, Cambridge University
- Professor George Bain will chair the commission.
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The national minimum wage is one of the Government's top priorities and for that reason we have moved quickly to put the commission in place. We advertised nationally for applications to the commission and were gratified by the large response and the high quality of the candidates. I am confident that, with such a high-quality membership, the commission will be able to go about its work effectively and successfully.
Hawk Aircraft
Mr. Key: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she was first notified that licences had already been issued for the continued sale of Hawk jets to Indonesia. [10393]
Mrs. Roche: Ministers were informed on 7 July 1997 that the licences granted in November 1996 for the export of 16 Hawk aircraft and equipment to Indonesia represented the second phase of Hawk sales to Indonesia agreed in principle in 1993.
Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe
Mr. Paterson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if she will require the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe to publish a regular report on changes in his shareholdings; [10071]
- (2) what shareholdings the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness Europe holds. [10070]
Mrs. Beckett: Apart from his holding in BP, which the Minister has undertaken not to trade before 1 January 1998, he can no longer give a report of his shareholdings, or changes in them, since they have been placed in a blind trust. It would breach the protection against conflicts of interest the trust provides to ask the manager of the trust to publish the composition of the portfolio.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assessment she has made of the effect of gas liberalisation on the competitive position of gas companies relative to other energy companies; [10322]
- (2) what assessment she has made of the effect of gas liberalisation on the share price of BP. [10323]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answers 24 July 1997]: The Government's policy is to press for the completion of the single market in energy, which will offer opportunities for all energy companies, and bring benefits for all of Europe's energy consumers.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if those matters relating to (a) gas liberalisation, (b) state aids policy and (c) biotechnological inventions currently subject to proposals in the European Community under evaluation by Her Majesty's Government have a bearing on BP. [9653]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 21 July 1997]: Some aspects of these matters or cases--for example, concerning state aids to BP's direct competitors--can have a direct or particular bearing on BP. Arrangements are in place to ensure that no conflicts of interest arise for the Ministers dealing with these matters as all others.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if a private secretary from the DTI was present at the three meetings the Minister for Trade and
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Competitiveness has held with BP directors since becoming a Minister; what minutes were taken; and if she will publish them. [10492]
Mrs. Beckett:
No. These meetings were related to the handover of Lord Simon's responsibilities at BP or to allow him to say farewell to his colleagues. It would have been wholly inappropriate for the DTI to be represented at such occasions, although the right hon. Member might have enjoyed the minutes of his farewell party.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade in what circumstances the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe is able to handle matters relating to tax in Brussels. [10427]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 24 July 1997]: The Minister is not normally involved in EU Council negotiations on tax. Like other Ministers, he could present Her Majesty's Government's position if necessary, unless there were a conflict of interest.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe will be handling indirect tax and corporate tax proposals under the action plan for the single market in Europe. [10016]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 23 July 1997]: The Minister is not normally involved in EU Council negotiations on tax. Like other Ministers, he could present Her Majesty's Government's position if necessary, unless there were a conflict of interest.
Mr. Hammond:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe will be handling negotiations on pension funds in Europe under the action plan for the single market. [9788]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 21 July 1997]: The Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe attends the Internal Market Council. Pension funds will be dealt with in ECOFIN, which he does not attend. However, he will continue to play a role in all aspects of the single market, subject to the arrangements which are in place to ensure that no conflicts of interest can arise.
Mr. David Heath:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the official engagements of the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe for the month of July. [9990]
Mrs. Beckett:
The Minister has a wide range of engagements both at the DTI and the Treasury in fulfilment of his role as Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs stopped writing a column for the travel trade press; and on whose instructions. [10461]
Mrs. Beckett:
My hon. Friend the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs wrote a fortnightly column for a leading travel newspaper, Travel Weekly from 15 September 1993 until 31 April 1997. The paper is read primarily by Britain's leading travel agents and tour operators.
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