| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Economic and Monetary Union
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make it his policy to protect Britain's zero rates of VAT during negotiations on stage III of economic and monetary union; [12841]
- (2) what action he will take to ensure that Britain's zero rates of VAT are protected under European Commission plans to harmonise VAT rates. [12842]
Dawn Primarolo: Although the European Commission aspires to the further harmonisation of VAT rates as part of its suggested programme for a "common system" of VAT, there are no current legislative proposals on rates. The UK's zero rates are fully safeguarded under existing EC VAT law, and any change requires the unanimous agreement of member states. We are committed to retaining the right to keep our existing zero rates and there is no question of being forced to give them up.
Public Expenditure
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the real change in total public expenditure for (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99 consequential on the higher gross domestic product deflators announced in the Budget. [12477]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 27 October 1997]: In the July Budget, the projections for General Government Expenditure were increased in cash terms by £0.4 billion in 1997-98 and by £4.1 billion in 1998-99 compared with the figures published in the November 1996 Budget. An additional £1.2 billion was provided for Health and £1 billion for Education in 1998-99. Forecasts for the GDP deflator were also increased. In 1995-96 prices, the July projections for General Government Expenditure were lower than those in the November 1996 Budget by £2.6 billion in 1997-98 and £1.5 billion in 1998-99.
Single European Currency
Sir Richard Body: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer where Nordic gold for single currency coinage will be mined; which companies will be involved; and if his Department will undertake research on the ecological effects of the mining and refining involved. [12517]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 27 October 1997]: There are no plans for single currency coinage for circulation to contain gold.
28 Oct 1997 : Column: 783
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of members of closed pension schemes with no sponsoring employers who will be adversely affected by the Budget changes to the value of tax credits. [12838]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 27 October 1997]: We have no detailed information concerning the membership of closed pension schemes with no sponsoring employers.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to compensate members of the closed pension schemes with no sponsoring employers whose weekly income has fallen as a result of the Budget changes to the value of tax credits. [12837]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 27 October 1997]: No.
BNFL
Mr. McGrady: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the role of her Department in determining dividend guidelines relating to BNFL; when the guidelines were last reviewed; and what factors were taken into account in determining such guidelines. [12938]
Mr. Battle:
Dividend policy is reviewed from time to time by my Department, in consultation with the Treasury, the most recent being in 1995, when the basis of calculating the dividend was changed from a current cost accounting basis to a historic profit after tax basis. A number of factors are taken into account in determining dividend policy, including the need for the Government, as shareholder, to earn a reasonable rate of return on its investment.
28 Oct 1997 : Column: 784
Mr. McGrady:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what contact has taken place between officials of her Department and representatives of BNFL since 1 May. [12950]
Mr. Battle:
The Department maintains regular contact with BNFL on a wide range of issues.
Mr. McGrady:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when her Department last approved BNFL's corporate plan; what period it covered; and if it indicated that mixed oxide fuel is to be manufactured by BNFL at Sellafield. [12942]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
BNFL's 1996 Corporate Plan was approved in November 1996. It covered the period from April 1996 to March 2000. The Plan, and the Company's 1996 Annual Report and Accounts, indicated that Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel continues to be manufactured at Sellafield.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will publish summary information on DTI recruitment for calendar year 1996, and the use of permitted exceptions to the principles of fair and open competition and selection on merit, as required by the civil service commissioners' recruitment code. [13302]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
It is DTI policy that recruitment is carried out on the basis of fair and open competition and selection on merit, subject to the exceptions permitted by the Civil Service Commissioners. My Department has systems in place which ensure that the principles of fair and open competition are understood and followed, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code. These systems are subject to internal check by The DTI's Internal Audit.
The DTI's Executive Agencies and the Government Office network make separate arrangements for publishing recruitment data, and the following table and narratives describe only Headquarters recruitment.
28 Oct 1997 : Column: 783
(1) Senior Executive Officer/Senior Scientific Officer/Senior Professional and Technical Officer.
(2) Note that ethnic data has been suppressed for those grades where numbers recruited are five or less, to avoid the possibility of identifying individuals.
28 Oct 1997 : Column: 783
28 Oct 1997 : Column: 785
The number of occasions on which the permitted exceptions to fair and open competition and selection on merit have been used at each level (except for appointments of up to 12 months) are categorised as follows:
Mr. Todd:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she has received the fifth annual reports of the recognised supervisory bodies for company auditors under part II of the Companies Act 1989. [13303]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
I have received the fifth annual reports of all the recognised supervisory bodies for company auditors, and have placed copies in the Library. My Department will be discussing the contents of the reports with the bodies as necessary.
extensions of appointments of up to 12 months up to a maximum of 24 months:
two Administrative Assistants where permanent post holders were on temporary promotion into the next grade which was subject to advertising
one Administrative Officer where the future of the post was subject to review
recurrent short term appointments:--none
short term appointments where highly specialised skills are required:--none
extensions of short term appointments beyond the initially publicised period, including conversions to permanency:
one Assistant Statistician appointment extended to 18 months where a replacement with statistical experience could not be identified
secondments:--none
extensions to secondments:--none
re-appointment of former civil servants:
one at Grade 6
six at Grade 7
four at Executive Officer
two at Administrative Officer
two at Investigations Officer
transfers of staff with their work (not under TUPE):--none
transfers of staff from other public services without work (unless from a public body staffed exclusively by civil servants):--none
appointments of surplus acceptable candidates to shortage posts:--none
appointments of disabled candidates under modified selection arrangements
any use of the exceptions reserved for the Commissioners:--none.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |