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Multilateral Agreement on Investment
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact on the economic development activities of local authorities of the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [59533]
Mr. Wilson: I have been asked to reply.
Following the French withdrawal last month from the negotiations on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) in the OECD, it appears most unlikely that the Agreement will be concluded.
The Department looked closely at the possible impact of the draft MAI on local government activity, in consultation with the Local Government Association. We reached the conclusion that there should be no conflict between the broad principles of the MAI and the social and economic development objectives of local governments. However,
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there were some respects in which we felt that the draft text required greater clarity in order to provide increased certainty.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Prime Minister what plans there are for a ministerial visit to St. Helena. [59436]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 12 November 1998]: At present there are no plans for a Ministerial visit to St. Helena.
All elected members of the St. Helena Legislative Council have visited the UK during the last year at the invitation of the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd). While they were here they were able to meet a number of British Government Ministers.
Senior officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development visit St. Helena regularly. The next visit by officials will be in December to review the three year Country Policy Plan and the Government's £26 million aid grant.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's input into section A, People's Europe, in the European Communities document "Europe in Ten Points"; and what discussions were held on the subject during the recent Heads of Government meeting at Portschach. [59996]
The Prime Minister:
The present Government made no contribution to the pamphlet "Europe in Ten Points".
The meeting of Heads at Portschach was an informal meeting in preparation for the full European council in Vienna, at which a broad range of issues were discussed. No formal decisions were taken. There was discussion of how to enhance democratic legitimacy, make a reality of subsidiarity and improve the efficiency of the Community institutions.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has made for a specific Minister in each Department to be on duty at midnight on 31 December 1999 to deal with emergencies arising from the millennium bug. [59908]
The Prime Minister:
In line with the practice of the previous administration, the Civil Contingencies Committee (previously the Civil Contingency Unit) is always on standby for any emergency event which warrants a contribution from central Government. The existence of the Year 2000 problem is of course one of the matters which the Civil Contingencies Committee has taken into account in its planning arrangements.
Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Prime Minister how he will ensure that essential services are able to maintain adequate staffing levels on New Year's Eve 1999. [59855]
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The Prime Minister:
Individual Ministers are responsible for ensuring that their departments have plans in place to deal with possible Year 2000 failures. Where appropriate, these plans will make provision for essential staff to be on duty over New Year's Eve 1999.
Across the wider public sector, Chief Executives of Local Authorities and NHS Trusts, and Chief Police and Fire Officers will be responsible for ensuring that staff are on duty on New Year's Eve 1999.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will send a delegation of officials to Iraq to discuss the areas of disagreement between the UK and Iraq. [60090]
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister what discussions Her Majesty's Government have held with Arab states aimed at obtaining overflying rights in the event of an attack on Iraq. [60228]
The Prime Minister:
We regularly discuss these and other bilateral matters with Arab states.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will investigate allegations that (a) Polish and (b) other members of UNSCOM have provided information to the US on the location of possible targets for attack. [60198]
The Prime Minister:
This is a matter for UNSCOM. I am, however, aware that UNSCOM has dismissed these allegations as groundless. I am satisfied that UNSCOM has been operating in accordance with its mandate from the United Nations Security Council.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the German Foreign Minister's statement in a Die Zeit interview that an attack on Iraq would mean that UN weapons inspectors would be unable to return to Iraq for a long time. [60199]
The Prime Minister:
The ultimate aim of our policy, and that would include any use of military force against Iraq, is the full implementation of all relevant Security Council resolutions. We attach great importance to UNSCOM and IAEA being able to carry out their work effectively.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Prime Minister what child care provision is made available by his Office for the use of staff; what is the cost to parents of this child care; how many parents used the facilities in the financial years (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98; and what proportion of total staff used these facilities in the financial years (i) 1996-97 and (ii) 1997-98. [59720]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 16 November 1998]: For the purpose of this question, my office is part of the Cabinet Office.
Staff in the Department, with children between the ages of 5 and 12, may use the Westminster Holiday Playscheme during the school half terms and major holidays.
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Six programmes within the Westminster Holiday Playscheme ran in the financial year 1996-97 and six ran in the financial year 1997-98. The cost borne by Cabinet Office parents in total in the financial year 1996-97 was £1,789.25 and the number who used the scheme was 28. The cost to parents in the financial year 1997-98 was £2,056.79 and the number who used the scheme was 45. The proportion of total staff who used the playscheme in the financial year 1996-97 was 2.8 per cent. and in the financial year 1997-98 it was 4 per cent.
The Department places great importance on maintaining and developing a wide range of family friendly policies. Child care is just one element of these policies. Others include maternity leave at full pay, career breaks of up to five years, special leave to help those caring for elderly dependants, five days' paid paternity pay and special leave for domestic emergencies. In addition staff are able to claim help with additional child care costs associated with activities such as attendance at a training course or while on special duties. Other measures to help staff balance work and family life include a range of flexible working patterns.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) of 3 December 1997, Official Report, column 349, by what date he expects his target of six million new savers to be achieved. [60084]
The Prime Minister:
We have designed the Individual Savings Account and the Cost, Access and Terms standards to respond to the concerns of those who are not currently saving, or who are only saving very little. Half of this country's population have savings of less than £200. We are confident that ISAs will be attractive to significant numbers of new savers over the coming years.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the implementation of the recommendations contained in departmental Select Committee reports which have been accepted by Government departments. [59841]
The Prime Minister:
Implementation of recommendations is a matter for individual departments and the relevant Select Committees. Departments set out in the Government response to a Select Committee report how they propose to implement the recommendations and, where appropriate, indicate a timetable. Select Committees then monitor progress as they see fit.
Mr. Hayes:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 11 November 1998, Official Report, column 365, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Working Time Directive on the rate of inflation in each of the next three years. [60201]
The Prime Minister:
The Government do not believe that the Working Time Directive will have any significant impact on the rate of inflation over the next three years.
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