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Pre-Budget Report

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reasons underlie the deduction of income tax credits from the figure for net taxes and social security contributions in Table B9 of the Pre-Budget report, Cmnd 4076. [64639]

Ms Hewitt: Income tax reliefs such as MIRAS and other tax credits, including the Working Families Tax Credit, are part of the income tax system and are administered by Inland Revenue. As they reduce the receipts of Inland Revenue, they are netted off the figures for total tax receipts and social security contributions.

EC Budget

Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the United Kingdom's gross contribution to the EC budget for the latest available year was comprised of the proceeds of (a) agricultural levies and (b) customs duties; and what were the corresponding figures for the latest available years for (i) France, (ii) Germany and (iii) Italy. [64642]

Ms Hewitt: The percentages for the traditional own resources contributions of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy in respect of calendar year 1997 are set out in the table.

12 Jan 1999 : Column: 140

Percentage
Duties on agricultural products (formerly agricultural levies)Sugar and Isoglucose leviesCustoms duties
United Kingdom3.250.7622.73
France0.452.199.64
Germany0.731.3514.49
Italy0.531.0612.01

Notes:

1. Source of figures: the European Court of Auditors report on the 1997 EC Budget.

2. Percentages relate to the Member States gross contributions, less traditional own resources collection costs, before account is taken of the UK's abatement. The gross contribution figures include adjustments to VAT and GNP contributions of earlier years.


PRIME MINISTER

Mr. Dominic Lawson

Mr. Galloway: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will list the capacities in which Mr. Dominic Lawson has been employed by Her Majesty's Government or any agency acting on their behalf; and if he will make a statement; [64972]

12 Jan 1999 : Column: 141

The Prime Minister: None.

Teenage Pregnancies

Mr. Alan Johnson: To ask the Prime Minister when the Social Exclusion Unit will publish its report on, and recommendations for, reducing the numbers of teenage pregnancies. [64832]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 7 December 1998, Official Report, columns 16-17.

Ministerial Travel

Mr. Paice: To ask the Prime Minister what is his policy towards the use of air miles awarded to Ministers who travel on official business paid for by public funds. [65072]

The Prime Minister: Paragraph 82 of the Ministerial Code makes clear that Air Miles and other benefits earned through travel paid for from public funds, other than where there are de minimis (for example, access to special departure lounges or booking arrangements which go with membership of regular flier clubs), should be used only for official purposes or else forgone. However, if it is impracticable to use the benefits for Government travel, there is no objection to Ministers donating them to charity if this is permissible under the terms of the airline's scheme and the charity is one chosen by the airline.

Ministerial Visits

Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 15 December 1998, Official Report, column 459, on ministerial visits to Latin America, if he will list the (a) 12 countries referred to and (b) the Ministers concerned. [64736]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 11 January 1999]: The information is as follows:




















12 Jan 1999 : Column: 142


    Columbia


    Tony Lloyd MP


    George Foulkes MP


    The Right Hon. Nick Brown MP


    Brian Wilson MP


    Costa Rica


    Tony Lloyd MP


    Ecuador


    The Right Hon. Nick Brown MP


    El Salvador


    Tony Lloyd MP


    Guatemala


    Tony Lloyd MP


    Mexico


    The Right Hon. John Morris QC, MP


    Tony Lloyd MP (x2)


    Panama


    The Right Hon. Robin Cook MP


    Uruguay


    Tony Lloyd MP.


    In addition, Tony Lloyd MP is returning from a visit to Peru today.

All visits were in accordance with the rules set out in the ministerial code.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the ministerial visits undertaken to each South American and Caribbean country since 1997. [64823]

The Prime Minister: Ministers have made a number of visits to the countries of South America and the Caribbean since 1 May 1997 to strengthen our bilateral relations, promote British interests and play our leading role in international affairs.

For the visits to South America I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Wilkinson).

The information for Caribbean countries is as follows:



    The Right Hon. Robin Cook MP


    Baroness Symons


    George Foulkes MP


    Barbados


    The Right Hon. Clare Short MP


    George Foulkes MP


    The Right Hon. Frank Dobson MP


    Cuba


    Baroness Symons


    Brian Wilson MP


    Grenada


    George Foulkes


    Guyana


    The Right Hon. Clare Short MP


    Jamaica


    Baroness Symons


    The Right Hon. Michael Meacher MP


    Trinidad


    Baroness Symons.

12 Jan 1999 : Column: 143

EU (Nuclear Safety)

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the measures proposed under paragraph 67 of the presidency conclusions of the Vienna European Council in respect of nuclear safety in the context of enlargement of the European Union. [64815]

The Prime Minister: The United Kingdom has a strong interest in ensuring the candidates for European Union membership apply adequate safety standards. The Conclusions of the 7-8 December General Affairs Council on nuclear safety in the context of enlargement, welcomed by Vienna, stress the need for the candidates to attain internationally accepted levels of safety as part of their pre-accession strategies and to meet commitments they have already made in this sector.

The EU is already helping the candidates improve nuclear safety levels and to deal with the cost of early plant closure. This assistance will continue within the overall context of pre-accession assistance set out by the Accession partnerships, which are themselves due for revision later this year.

Iraq

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Prime Minister to what extent each of his objectives in undertaking the bombing of Iraq jointly with the United States of America in December has been met; and on what basis he will consider undertaking similar attacks in future. [65281]

The Prime Minister: The objectives of Operation Desert Fox were to reduce Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and other military capabilities, and Iraq's ability to threaten its neighbours. We are ready to use force again if necessary, and will do so if Iraq tries to reconstitute its weapons of mass destruction or threatens its neighbours.

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the French Government about the consequences for his policy of establishing a separate European defence identity of the American and British military action against Iraq. [65380]

The Prime Minister: None. We have, of course, briefed the French and our other EU partners on our recent actions in Iraq. The reasons for these are well understood.

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what response he gave to representations from the Government of Italy concerning the attack on Iraq. [65379]

The Prime Minister: I briefed Prime Minister D'Alema on our current thinking on Iraq on 18 December 1998 and we agreed to keep in touch on the issue.

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