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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 10 November 1997
PRIME MINISTER
Yemen
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister what progress was made at the Commonwealth Conference on Yemen's application to join the Commonwealth; and when he estimates that Yemen will join the Commonwealth. [14985]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement that I made to the House on 28 October, Official Report, column 714.
Former Prime Ministers (Private Offices)
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the annual cost to public funds of maintaining the private offices of former Prime Ministers. [14986]
The Prime Minister: All former Prime Ministers are eligible to receive an allowance to assist them with the continuing heavy burden of office and secretarial costs arising from their special position in public life. The allowance is similar in purpose and amount to the parliamentary office costs allowance, but is paid in respect of public not parliamentary duties.
The maximum amount of the allowance available to former Prime Ministers during the current financial year is £47,568 plus £4,757 for contributions to pension schemes of members of staff whose salaries are paid from the allowance.
I do not think it right to disclose the amounts of this allowance claimed by individual former Prime Ministers, any more than the House discloses details of claims by Members under the office costs allowance.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Prime Ministers if he will ensure that Ministers make available to Parliament details of United Kingdom proposals for European Council meeting discussion in advance of council meetings held under the British presidency. [14710]
The Prime Minister:
My right hon. and hon. Friends will keep the House properly informed of their activities during the UK's presidency. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will shortly be giving evidence before the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs on the UK's priorities and objectives for the presidency.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Prime Minister what use he makes of information from focus groups. [14835]
The Prime Minister:
The Government, like their predecessor, monitor public opinion in a number of ways.
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Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the organisations or persons who supply him with information collated from focus groups. [14836]
The Prime Minister:
The Government monitor public opinion in a number of ways, using a number of different organisations.
Mr. Gerald Howarth:
To ask the Prime Minister when he will reply to the letters dated 12 June, 12 August and 20 October from Mr. Nicholas Bennett concerning a Labour member of Reading Borough Council and Berkshire County Council; and if he will publish his reply in the Official Report. [14749]
The Prime Minister:
My office have replied.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had or plans to have with his EU counterparts on the problems facing computer systems through the century date change; and if he will make a statement. [13153]
Mrs. Liddell:
The Chancellor has had no contacts with his EU colleagues directly about the problems facing computer systems thanks to the century date change.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate in cash terms in 1995-96 prices the reduction in central Government expenditure for 1997-98 and 1998-99 between the assumptions made in (a) the November 1996 Budget, (b) the July 1997 Budget and (c) the most recent assumption. [13190]
Mr. Darling
[holding answer 30 October 1997]: The provision made in the last two Budgets for Central Government within the Control Total programmes in 1997-98 and 1998-99 in cash and in 1995-96 prices are set out below:
| £ billions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 FSBR | 1997 FSBR | |||
| Cash terms | 1995-96 prices | Cash terms | 1995-96 prices | |
| 1997-98 | 187.2 | 179.0 | 187.4 | 177.5 |
| 1998-99 | 191.4 | 179.5 | 192.6 | 177.5 |
The Government have not revised their economic assumptions since the July 1997 Budget.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of general Government expenditure in cash terms for (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99, using (i) current estimates, (ii) the estimates at the time of the July 1997 Budget and (ii) the estimates at the time of the November 1996 Budget. [13644]
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Mr. Darling
[holding answer 5 November 1997]: The Government's estimates in cash terms of general government expenditure for 1997-98 and 1998-99 are set out in the table below:
| £ billion | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
| July 1997 | 319 | 331 |
| November 1996 | 319 | 327 |
The July 1997 figures are the current estimates for general government expenditure.
Income Tax
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate for the number of people who would cease to pay income tax if the personal income tax allowance were raised to £10,000 per annum; [13247]
- (2) what is his estimate of the cost of raising the personal income tax allowance to £10,000 per annum.[13248]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 5 November 1997]: The estimated cost at 1997-98 income levels of increasing both the non-aged personal allowance and the aged personal allowance to £10,000 is £29 billion. This would take 9.8 million taxpayers out of income tax.
Public Expenditure
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is the policy of the Government to adhere to the existing control total for public expenditure for 1998-99; and if he will make a statement. [13287]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 6 November 1997]: The Government are firmly committed to the Control Total for 1998-99.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Visas (Correspondence)
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what, at 1 October, was the average time it took for the migration and visas correspondence unit to deal with an hon. Member's inquiry; and how many outstanding cases there were on 1 October. [14222]
Mr. Fatchett: I refer my hon. Friend to the replies that I gave to him on 4 November, Official Report, columns 166-67, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney) on 3 November, Official Report, column 11.
Iraq
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the United Nations Security Council Presidential Statement of 29 October on Iraq. [14711]
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Mr. Tony Lloyd:
A copy of the United Nations Security Council Presidential Statement on 29 October on Iraq has been placed in the libraries of the House.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the five most recent reports to the United Nations Security Council of the UNISCOM inspection and verification mission in Iraq. [14713]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
A copy of the five most recent reports submitted by the Executive Chairman of the UN Special Commission to the UN has been placed in the libraries of the House.
Ms Abbott:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to encourage (a) the World Trade Organisation members and (b) EU members states to accommodate the interests of the ACP banana producers and facilitate the diversification of their economies; over what time scale; and if he will make a statement. [14997]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
We are working actively on the implication of the WTO findings on the EC banana regime. We are in close touch with the Commission in Brussels, which has responsibility for devising a WTO compatible response on behalf of the Community. They will be discussing the implications with our traditional banana suppliers and other interested parties such as the US. At the CHOGM in Edinburgh last month, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made clear to Caribbean leaders that the UK will play a major role in devising new banana import arrangements. We want to ensure Commonwealth and other ACP banana producers have continuing access to the EU banana market. New arrangements are likely to come into effect in early 1999.
Ms Abbott:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what transitional arrangements the Government plan to make to reduce the impact of the recent World Trade Organisation ruling on Commonwealth banana producers; and if he will make a statement. [14996]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
In the Edinburgh Economic Declaration agreed at CHOGM last month, Heads of Government resolved to encourage the EU and WTO members to accommodate the legitimate interests of the ACP banana producers and facilitate the diversification of their economies. The UK has for a number of years been promoting good commercial practice and competitiveness among those Commonwealth banana producers likely to be most affected by the WTO ruling, principally the Windward Islands. The UK-funded Cargill report outlined the steps necessary to restructure and modernise their banana industries and was agreed with the Windwards Governments in 1995. Caribbean Governments also receive large allocations of EC aid to improve competitiveness, assist economic diversification and develop social safety nets.
We are also liaising with the Commission in Brussels, which has the principal responsibility for the Community's response to the WTO ruling. As leading advocates of Caribbean interests we want to ensure the
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new regime is both WTO compatible and meets our obligations to our traditional banana suppliers in the Caribbean.
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