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EU Budget
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to use the 1998-99 Contingency Reserve in order to accommodate a higher than expected United Kingdom net contribution to the European Community Budget in 1998-99; and if he will make a statement. [14521]
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Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 10 November 1997]: Should the UK's net contribution in 1998-99 turn out to be higher than in published public expenditure plans, the additional expenditure would fall to be met from the Reserve. There is, however, no reason to suppose that the estimates made by the previous Government will be insufficient.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he will be able to publish a revised estimate of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the European Community Budget for 1998; if he will update the figures for United Kingdom expenditure on the European Communities for 1998-99 as set down in the Financial statement and Budget report 1997-98, page 123, Table 5.A.4; and if he will make a statement. [14520]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 10 November 1997]: An estimate for the UK's net contribution to the 1998 European Community Budget will, as usual, be included in the annual White Paper on the EC Budget. The Government hopes to publish the White Paper on the 1998 Budget in the Spring of next year. A revised Treasury forecast for the UK's net contribution in respect of the financial year 1998-99 will be included in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", and also the "Departmental Report of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's smaller Departments", both of which are expected to be published in March next year.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the arrangements for the presentation of the Green Budget to Parliament. [15086]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 10 November 1977]: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor will make a statement to the House on 25 November (as announced to the hon. Member for East Ham (Mr. Timms) on 30 October, Official Report, column 884), when he will also be presenting a Command Paper.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department has yet completed its review of the rate of value added tax on energy-efficient materials; and if he will make a statement. [14517]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 10 November 1997]: Customs have completed their review and are now preparing a report for publication.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the various differences in the arrangements for operational independence by central banks in the conduct of monetary policy among those G-7 countries which have introduced such arrangements, from those applicable under his proposals in the United Kingdom. [14511]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 10 November 1997]: The proposed arrangements by the Chancellor to give the Bank of England statutory operational responsibility over monetary policy are along similar lines to the arrangements in other G-7 countries. Most countries have moved to give central banks greater operational
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responsibility and to focus monetary policy on price stability. However the arrangements for the UK are a British solution for British needs.
The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England has operational responsibility to achieve a monetary policy target set by the Chancellor. The Chancellor retains the right to override the operational autonomy of the Bank in extreme economic circumstances and if it is in the public interest.
Arrangements for other G-7 countries give varying degrees of independence to the central bank. The most independent is the Bundesbank, which has full independence from the Government and is required neither to consult nor report to Parliament. The Banque de France has recently been reformed to give it full independence over monetary policy decisions and bring its arrangements into line with the proposed arrangements for the ESCB.
In the US, the Federal Reserve has discretion over both the goals and instruments of monetary policy; but it is required to give a full account of its policies to Congress.
The Bank of Japan Law has been revised recently to establish the independence of the Bank of Japan (which comes into effect from April 1, 1998), but is designed to ensure that Government views are heard. The Government retains the right to attend and make proposals to the Policy Board.
The Bank of Canada also has considerable discretion over the goals and instruments of monetary policy. But the Canadian Government has ultimate responsibility for the direction of monetary policy and, in case of disagreements, retains the right to issue a directive to the Bank in respect of monetary policy.
The Banca D'Italia also has considerable autonomy. The Governor sets autonomously the official discount rate, and neither Parliament or the Government can interfere in this process. However the Bank's annual monetary policy objectives must be approved by the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Economic Planning.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the costs of converting to the Euro for (a) Government, (b) retailers, (c) manufacturers, (d) the financial sector, (e) the public and (f) the economy as a whole; and if he will make a statement. [13718]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 3 November 1997]: The cost of converting to the euro would depend on the timing and detailed nature of the transition. The Chancellor has set up a Standing Committee to consider how the United Kingdom would approach the transition to the euro if and when the United Kingdom joins, and he is receiving advice from business sources through a Business Advisory Group looking at the practical implications of economic and monetary union.
The Government believes that, in principle, the United Kingdom should join a successful EMU provided the economic benefits of joining are clear and unambiguous. The Chancellor set out the five tests against which the economic case will be judged. The Treasury's assessment of the five economic tests is available in the Library of the House.
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Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money is set aside in the current European Union budget for tourism (a) under the Leader II programme and (b) under other European programmes; how much of this is targeted at projects in the United Kingdom; what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the programmes; and if he will make a statement. [12501]
Mr. Tom Clarke:
I have been asked to reply. The information is not available in the form requested.
Many Community programmes have an impact on tourism, or tourism has a role to play in them although tourism is not the primary purpose of the programmes. No figures are therefore available which show the total spending which might have relevance to tourism. The Commission has recently produced a report highlighting some of these areas and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport submitted an Explanatory Memorandum to Parliament on 31 July on European Community Document COM(97) 332 FINAL (also numbered 9712/97): Community Measures Affecting Tourism in 1995-96.
The only direct programmes relating to tourism have been the European Year of Tourism 1991 and the Tourism Action Plan of 1993-95, both of which were criticised in European Court of Auditors Special Report No 3/96 (Document 11833/96, also numbered 17859) on tourist policy and the promotion of tourism, on which the European Legislation Committee of the House reported in its Report No 16 session 96/97, and on which there was subsequent correspondence by the Chairman of the Committee and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.
Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to introduce a system of dispensation to reflect exchange rate fluctuations similar to that available to German farmers. [14965]
Mr. Rooker:
EU rules make it possible for the UK to compensate farmers for the income effects of revaluations of the rates used to convert subsidies and other amounts fixed under the CAP into sterling. Paying this aid would have significant implications for UK public expenditure. We are keeping the situation under review but, on the evidence currently available, have concluded that the case for payment is at present not proven.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many calves have been imported from the continent for slaughter in United Kingdom abattoirs since 1 July; from which countries they have been imported; and if he will make a statement. [14908]
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Mr. Rooker:
Information taken from the Animal Movement (ANIMO) electronic data system indicates that no bovine animals were imported into the United Kingdom from the continent for slaughter between July and September 1997 inclusive.
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