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Contingency Reserve
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what allocations from the contingency reserve for 1998-99 to departments have been approved over the last two months and for what purpose; what is the current amount of the contingency reserve for 1998-99; and if he will make a statement. [30507]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 23 February 1998]: I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member of 10 December 1997, Official Report, columns 562-64. The next forecast of the Reserve for 1998-99 will be published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report in March.
Buildings Refurbishment
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by his Department in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98 to date and (d) 1997-98 full year; and if he will make a statement. [26576]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 5 February 1998]: No building refurbishment has been carried out by the Treasury in the years 1995-96 to 1997-98 other than an essential electrical wiring replacement programme in the headquarters building at a cost of £80,000 to date during 1997-98.
Overseas Travel
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost of Ministerial overseas travel in his Department in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97 and (c) 1997-98 to date. [26577]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 5 February 1998]: The cost of Ministerial overseas travel for the Treasury for the years requested is as listed.
- 1995-96: £59,150
- 1996-97: £52,641
- 1997-98 (to date): £34,846.
VAT
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the European Commission review of the scope of reduced VAT rates. [30687]
25 Feb 1998 : Column: 234
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 23 February 1998]: The European Commission's recent analysis of the present VAT rates structure and application of reduced VAT rates within the Community concludes that there is no significant distortion of competition brought about by the disparities in VAT rates between Member States. The report makes no formal proposals for revision of the current list of supplies of goods and services which may be subject to reduced rates.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list occasions when he has raised the issue of a wider relief of VAT on energy saving materials with other member states of the EU. [30689]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 23 February 1998]: We have advised the Commission that we intend to explore the possibility of a reduced rate of VAT for energy saving measures carried out under certain Government-funded schemes and to explore the possibility of a reduced rate with wider application than European law presently allows.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions the Financial Secretary's office has had with the City of London Corporation since 1 January. [30930]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 23 February 1998]: My office has had no discussions with the City of London Corporation since 1 January.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the increase in pension contributions British business will need to make to replace the extra tax levied on funds in the last Budget in a full year. [30613]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 23 February 1998]: It is for companies and their pension funds to decide the level of their contributions.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made towards cancelling the debt burden of Mozambique as part of Britain's contribution to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. [30926]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 23 February 1998]: The UK has consistently supported a full and final exit for Mozambique from its debt burden under the HIPC initiative. On 17 February, the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for International Development pledged to provide a bilateral contribution of up to $10 million to help Mozambique to this end. This money is in addition to the debt relief agreed through the Paris Club of Government Creditors and other assistance that the UK has already committed.
A final agreement is currently being negotiated at the IMF and World Bank in Washington.
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the proposals the Government is making on writing off Third World debt. [30267]
25 Feb 1998 : Column: 235
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 23 February 1998]: The Government are fully committed to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative that was launched by the IMF and World Bank in September 1996. In his speech to Commonwealth Finance Ministers in Mauritius last year, the Chancellor called on the international community to commit itself to dealing with the problem of unsustainable debt burdens faced by the world's poorest countries once and for all. He urged creditors and debtors to undertake concrete action in order to ensure that at least three-quarters of the twenty countries, initially identified by the World Bank and IMF as probably needing debt relief under HIPC initiative, have had decisions on the size and timing of their relief by the year 2000. The Government propose to continue their efforts to ensure that this target is met.
In the IMF and World Bank Executive Boards, we have actively supported debt relief under the HIPC initiative for the four countries that have so far had decisions--Uganda, Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Guyana. The Government have also taken a lead in pressing for action to help another indebted country, Mozambique. We have offered to provide up to $10 million to help Mozambique achieve debt sustainability on top of the debt relief and assistance that the UK has already committed.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of windfall tax receipts in (a) 1997-98 and (b) in total. [31263]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Carmarthen, West and Pembrokeshire, South (Mr. Ainger) on 12 February 1998, Official Report, column 378.
Mr. Sawford:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the areas that he has chosen to pilot the proposal in the Crime and Disorder Bill [Lords] to introduce a drug treatment and testing order. [31738]
Mr. George Howarth:
My hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Joyce Quin) announced in a speech to a conference in York organised by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation this afternoon that the pilots will take place under the management of Merseyside, South-East London and Gloucestershire Probation Services.
Thirty six probation areas expressed an interest in managing the pilot of the drug treatment and testing order. All the proposals were well thought out and enthusiastic and the choice was therefore far from clear-cut.
Mr. Duncan:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts for public opinion research his Department has awarded since 1 May; if he will indicate the (a) purpose, (b) cost, (c) value and (d) duration of each contract; and which companies (i) bid for and (ii) were awarded each contract. [28872]
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Mr. Michael
[holding answer 10 February 1998]: None. However, the British Crime Survey, which is not "public opinion research" and is primarily used to measure crime against households through interviews with the general public, does include questions about attitudes. The current sweep asks respondents about their attitudes to punishment, the police and victim support.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the implications of Articles 29 to 42 of the Treaty on European Union as amended by the Amsterdam Treaty for police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters; and what information he has made available to Parliament and the public on this subject; [30523]
(3) what assessment he has made of the implications of articles 29 to 42 of the Treaty on European Union; and what plans he has to publish information on their impact on police operations and on the judicial system in the United Kingdom. [31080]
Ms Quin:
Articles 29 to 42 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam, will replace Title VI of the TEU by new provisions concerned with developing common action between member states in the fields of police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters and preventing and combating racism and xenophobia. The new provisions introduce changes, in particular as regards the scope of the common action to be developed, the legal instruments to be used and the role of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice. There are also provisions enabling member states to establish closer co-operation between themselves, and on the future role of Europol. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the European Communities (Amendment) Bill, and ratification by all member states of the new Treaty, the Government will seek to participate fully in all aspects of work under the new provisions, consistently with United Kingdom national interests.
The Treaty of Amsterdam was published as a Command paper (Cm 3780) in October 1997. Detailed written statements which cover all aspects of the Treaty have been provided to Committees of both Houses, made available to hon. Members and placed in the Library. Additionally, similar information has been provided to members of the public on request. The Treaty of Amsterdam has, of course, been debated at length in this House.
The police are routinely consulted, through a wide range of contacts which will not necessarily be recorded, on aspects of European Union business which have consequences for them. In particular, the Association of Chief Police Officers are closely involved in relevant discussions and negotiations with our European partners, and often attend meetings to provide advice and support.
25 Feb 1998 : Column: 237
(2) what consultations he has had with police authorities on the consequences for their operations and duties of Articles 29 to 42 of the Treaty on European Union as amended by the Amsterdam Treaty; and if he will place in the Library the records of those consultations; [30524]
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