13 Apr 1999 : Column: 1
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 13 April 1999
PRIME MINISTER
Policy Unit (Travel)
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions when his (a) Chief of Staff and (b) Chief Press Secretary formed part of the official party accompanying him on overseas visits, indicating the costs; and if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 8 December 1998, Official Report, column 143, to include the period from the end of October 1998 to the end of February 1999. [76816]
The Prime Minister: My Chief Press Secretary has accompanied me on all my overseas visits except three. My Chief of Staff has accompanied me on approximately a third. The costs of all officials, including my Chief Press Secretary and Chief of Staff, who accompany me on overseas visits are accounted for within the total costs of my overseas visits provided in previous answers.
For the period 1 May 1997 to 3 March 1999, members of the policy unit have travelled overseas on official business on 44 occasions. The average cost of their official travel was approximately £600 per person.
All visits have been made in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with representatives of the United States Government on genetically modified organisms since 31 July 1998; and if he will give the dates of these discussions. [80107]
The Prime Minister:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 3 November 1998, Official Report, columns 471-72.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister what sorts of unforeseen circumstances were envisaged when adding that caveat to his statement that the United Kingdom will not join the Euro Zone during the present Parliament. [80165]
The Prime Minister:
In his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out five economic tests which will have to be met before any decision to join a successful single currency can be taken. Applying the economic tests, the Government believe there is no realistic prospect of the UK economy having demonstrated, before the end of this Parliament, convergence which is sustainable and settled. Barring any fundamental and unforeseen change in economic circumstances, making a decision, during this Parliament, to join is not realistic.
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Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister which Minister is responsible for advising the Cabinet on whether the five economic tests for the United Kingdom participation in EMU have been met; and what consultation in respect of that advice will be undertaken. [80175]
The Prime Minister:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has responsibility for United Kingdom policy on European Community monetary and economic issues. The final decision on whether or not the UK should join the single currency is for the British people in a referendum.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister what staff have been tasked to monitor progress in passing the five economic tests for joining the euro. [80147]
The Prime Minister:
HM Treasury is the department responsible for economic and monetary union issues.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister what regulations or conventions exist to provide for the maintenance of political neutrality by European Commissioners in speeches targeted at a national audience in an area of domestic controversy. [80164]
The Prime Minister:
Commissioners must act in accordance with the Community Treaties. They are required by Article 157 of the Treaty establishing the European Community to be completely independent in the performance of their duties. As such, they are not allowed to take instructions from any Government or from any other body, and must refrain from any action incompatible with their duties.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister when (a) he and (b) representatives from his office, next plan to meet representatives of (i) the European Movement and (ii) the Federal Trust. [80146]
The Prime Minister:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Sir R. Body) on 19 October 1998, Official Report, column 917.
Rev. Ian Paisley:
To ask the Prime Minister what representations he received from Garvaghy Road Residents Chairman, Mr. Brendan McKenna, on police protection for the solicitor, Mrs. Rosemary Nelson; and what action he took in response. [80233]
Mr. Sayeed:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 10 March 1999, Official Report, column 228, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer's oral statement of 27 October 1997, Official Report, columns 583-88, if he will set out the constitutional and political implications of the United Kingdom joining the European single currency. [80247]
The Prime Minister:
As the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, the determining factor underpinning any
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Government decision on membership of the single currency is whether the economic case for the UK joining is clear and unambiguous.
The October 1997 statement acknowledged that to share a common monetary policy with other states does represent a major pooling of economic sovereignty. It also stated that, if the economic benefits are clear and unambiguous, there is no constitutional bar to British membership of EMU.
Ms Moran:
To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of child abuse in respect of children aged (a) zero to four years, (b) four to six years and (c) six to 10 years have been forwarded by police forces to the CPS in the last five years; and of those how many (i) have been dropped by the CPS and (ii) were prosecuted in court. [80088]
The Attorney-General:
The Crown Prosecution Service holds no central records in respect of specific offences. The information requested could be obtained only by examining each relevant file in every CPS office, at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Coleman:
To ask the Attorney-General how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been for incidents of incitement to racial hatred which took place in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in (i) 1997 and (ii) 1998. [79875]
The Attorney-General:
There have been no prosecutions or convictions for offences of racial hatred located in the Borough of Hammersmith or Fulham in either 1997 or 1998.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Attorney-General how many (a) black and (b) Asian people work in his private office. [79774]
The Attorney-General:
Information relating to ethnicity is not usually given where numbers are small enough to enable identification of individuals. However, the staff in my private office have consented to the provision of this information. None of the three members of staff at present in my private office is Black or Asian.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Attorney-General how many (a) women and (b) members of ethnic minorities have been appointed as CPS chief crown prosecutors to date. [79779]
The Attorney-General:
Of the 42 Chief Crown Prosecutors and 3 Assistant Chief Crown Prosecutors for London whose appointments were recently announced, 8 are women and 1 has self-declared as being from an ethnic minority. 4 of those appointed did not complete the Ethnic Minority Self-Declaration form.
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Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Attorney-General what the procedure is for inquiring into leaks of confidential Crown Prosecution Service papers. [79840]
The Attorney-General:
Crown Prosecution Service security policy requires that all suspected leaks be reported to the Departmental Security Officer. Suspected leaks are then investigated by the CPS rapidly and thoroughly.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Attorney-General if he will investigate the leak of the internal Crown Prosecution Service report into the police investigation of electoral malpractice in east and north-east London; and if he will make a statement. [79839]
The Attorney-General:
The Crown Prosecution Service is currently undertaking an inquiry into an alleged leak.
Mr. John M. Taylor:
To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 22 March 1999, Official Report, column 2, on freemasons, what plans he has to publish the register of lawyers declaring their masonic status; and if he will make a statement. [79810]
The Attorney-General:
The position remains as stated in my answer of 22 March 1999, Official Report, column 2, that the CPS is considering the format of a register in conjunction with the Departments affected by the Government's policy.
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