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National Changeover Plan
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister what compensation will be available to businesses which invest for euro membership as part of the National Changeover plan if the electorate votes against membership. [74166]
The Prime Minister: The outline National Changeover Plan is a first step in planning how the United Kingdom would make the changeover to the single currency. A further plan will be published in around a year's time. British businesses must now focus on the impact of the euro on their business strategies and decide for themselves how they should handle it and what preparations to make. Any investment will ultimately be a commercial decision for businesses themselves.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister what is his estimate of the amount of public expenditure which will arise in connection with the National Changeover plan for euro membership which will be incurred before a referendum on joining. [74167]
The Prime Minister: The cost of euro preparations would depend on the detailed approach that the UK took to the changeover. As I set out in my statement to the House on 23 February 1999, Official Report, columns 179-96, further work on the changeover will be carried out over the next year. Prior to a referendum the key departments involved are Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise and the Department for Social Security, where preparations may cost some tens of millions of pounds.
Beef Ban
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 24 February 1999, Official Report, column 386, on the lifting of the beef ban, on what date European Commission inspectors were invited to visit the relevant abattoirs; and when he expects (a) the visits to take place and (b) the final stages of the lifting of the ban to begin. [74154]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 2 March 1999]: Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food held discussions with Commission officials in January and February this year on the content, practical arrangements and possible dates for an inspection visit. The inspection will also cover the arrangements for Date Based Export Schemes in meat plants and we are in close contact with their industry in ensuring premises are ready for inspection. We expect to confirm a date very shortly. After the visit, the Commission will produce their report and set a date for exports to resume. We will be encouraging them to act as quickly as possible, but the timetable for those final stages is a matter for the Commission.
3 Mar 1999 : Column: 775
Mr. Hayes:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 24 February 1999, Official Report, column 382, on school education spending, if he will make a statement on spending on school education in Scotland (a) in the current financial year and (b) in 1997-98. [74152]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 2 March 1999]: Education authorities in Scotland are budgeting to spend £2.438 billion in the current financial year, whereas they budgeted to spend £2.349 billion in the previous financial year. The budgeted figure is normally exceeded in practice. The provisional outturn for 1997-98 is £2.375 billion.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Hayes:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 24 February 1999, Official Report, column 382, concerning the EU Directive on the art markets, if he will list the conditions necessary to permit the United Kingdom to agree the Directive. [74151]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 2 March 1999]: At the 25 February Internal Market Council the Presidency noted there was a broad consensus in favour of the proposal but, in view of the difficulties of some member states, it noted there were some remaining issues to be settled. It therefore asked the Committee of Permanent Representatives to take forward this work with the aim of reaching early agreement. We shall be working with our EU partners on ways in which the impact of the Directive on the United Kingdom can be reduced. I appreciate their willingness to continue intensive examination of these concerns. I cannot, of course, say in advance of that examination what might be acceptable, though we will ensure we get the best possible deal.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will deposit in the Library a list of reports and recommendations submitted since 1 May 1997 by working groups operating at European Community level, indicating the status of follow-through activities. [74445]
The Prime Minister:
Council working groups make reports and recommendations on legislative proposals from the Commission, which are then passed to the Council of Ministers for final decision. The working group reports are not normally published, but the legislation, once enacted, is published in the Official Journal and is also available on the CELEX database. This has been the standard practice for many years.
Sir Peter Tapsell:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 3 March. [73763]
The Prime Minister:
Today I have had meetings with Ministerial colleagues and others. I was also briefed on the hideous murders of eight tourists in Uganda.
3 Mar 1999 : Column: 776
Our High Commission in Uganda is seeking to establish the facts and we are obviously in close consultation with the Ugandan authorities.
Four of the dead: Joanne Cotton, Martin Friend, Mark Lindgren and Steven Roberts, were British, and the thoughts of the whole House will be with their friends and families, to whom we pledge to do all in our power to bring their killers to justice.
Lorna Fitzsimons:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made to collate the information his Department has about mechanisms which could be used to test for the presence of uranium in the human body. [69803]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
I expect to publish a detailed paper setting out the Ministry of Defence's position concerning the testing of UK Gulf veterans for the presence of depleted uranium later this month.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign nationals are currently serving in the UK armed forces; and which countries they come from. [72954]
Mr. Spellar:
The following table shows the recorded number of foreign nationals serving in the Army at January 1999:
| Nationality | Army |
|---|---|
| Total | 448 |
| Australian | 64 |
| Canadian | 64 |
| New Zealander | 55 |
| Zimbabwean | 41 |
| South African | 41 |
| Jamaican | 27 |
| Fijian | 19 |
| Indian | 13 |
| St. Helenian | 12 |
| Maltese | 10 |
| Trinidadian | 7 |
| Kenyan | 6 |
| Barbadian | 5 |
| Ghanaian | 5 |
| Pakistani | 5 |
| German | 5 |
| Others | 69 |
The 'Others' category amalgamates all nationalities in the Army which have fewer than five people in the individual categories.
There are also 244 Irish Nationals serving in the Army.
The table shows the recorded number of foreign nationals serving in the Royal Air Force at February 1999.
3 Mar 1999 : Column: 777
| Nationality | Royal Air Force |
|---|---|
| Total | 327 |
| Canadian | 41 |
| Australian | 37 |
| New Zealander | 32 |
| Indian | 26 |
| Pakistani | 26 |
| Jamaican | 23 |
| Kenyan | 20 |
| Zimbabwean | 16 |
| German | 12 |
| American | 11 |
| Maltese | 9 |
| Barbadian | 8 |
| Malaysian | 6 |
| Others | 60 |
The 'Others' category amalgamates all nationalities in the RAF which have fewer than five people in the individual categories.
There are also 155 Irish nationals serving in the RAF.
Information on the number of foreign nationals serving in the Naval Service is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Meteorological Office published its report for 1997-98; and what was the cost of production of the report. [72990]
Mr. Spellar:
This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Meteorological Office. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
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