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HOUSE OF COMMONS
Staff Pay Settlement
Mr. Pike: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, when the 1999 pay settlement for House of Commons staff will be implemented; and if he will make a statement. [85971]
Mr. Kirkwood: There are four groups of House of Commons staff covered by separate pay settlements each year. They are the Senior Commons Staff (SCS), the Main Structure Staff (Pay Bands A to E), the Refreshment Department Catering Staff and the Works Directorate Craft Staff.
The pay of the Senior Commons Staff is kept in line with that of the Senior Civil Service. The Government accepted the recommendations of the Senior Salaries Review Body in February and the recommended increases have been implemented with effect from 1 April 1999.
The negotiations with the unions recognised to represent staff in Pay Bands A to E started in April 1999 and are continuing.
The negotiations with the unions representing staff in the Craft and Catering pay bands are expected to start towards the end of June.
The implementation date for all the settlements is 1 April 1999.
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Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the powers he has to confiscate (a) passports, (b) national insurance cards and (c) driving licences. [86665]
Mr. Timms:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has no express powers to confiscate passports, national insurance cards or driving licences. However, these documents remain the property of Her Majesty's Government. If the Secretary of State has concerns that such a document may be forged, altered or stolen, he may retain it. A receipt is issued and the appropriate authority notified.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the likely progress at the forthcoming G7 Summit in reducing the debt burden of the poorest countries; and if he will make a statement. [85724]
The Prime Minister:
At the G8 Summit in Cologne next weekend I will be taking forward the UK's proposals for faster, deeper and wider debt relief to the world's poorest countries.
11 Jun 1999 : Column: 407
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on a ground invasion of (a) Kosovo and (b) Serbia. [85897]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 8 June 1999]: There is now evidence that the Yugoslav authorities are complying with the demands of the international community. My hon. Friend will be aware that following confirmation of the start of the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from Kosovo, the NATO Secretary General ordered the suspension of the bombing campaign. An international peacekeeping force in which British troops will be at the forefront will be deployed within the timescale agreed between General Jackson and Serb military commanders on 9 June. Until this withdrawal is complete, however, we must continue to exercise caution and to keep all other options under review.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Prime Minister of Hungary in relation to the safety of the ethnic Hungarians living in northern Yugoslavia, and on the concerns of the Hungarian Prime Minister about the threat to ethnic Hungarians from Serbian military forces and paramilitaries positioned near their homes. [85900]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 8 June 1999]: I met the Hungarian Prime Minister in Downing Street on 15 April. We discussed the situation of the ethnic Hungarian community in Vojvodina. Mr. Orban said that a substantial number of ethnic Hungarians had left the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in recent years for Hungary. He expressed concern that the rights of the ethnic Hungarians in Vojvodina were inadequate and that the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had deliberately resettled Serb refugees in areas which hitherto had an ethnic Hungarian majority.
I reaffirmed the United Kingdom's support for the democratisation of the whole of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as the best way to safeguard the rights of all its citizens.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the representations he received regarding the quarantine of the pet dog of William Dowell. [86630]
The Prime Minister:
In addition to letters from William Dowell and his family, my office has received four letters on this subject, all from France.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to abolish quarantine for animals entering the United Kingdom. [86631]
The Prime Minister:
On 26 March, the Government announced that they were going to reform the quarantine laws in the UK. A pilot scheme is being developed for introduction as soon as possible and the main scheme will be in place by April 2001.
11 Jun 1999 : Column: 408
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister what the Government's policy is towards the development of the Council of Europe. [86645]
The Prime Minister:
The Government support the development of the Council of Europe as a key institution for the promotion of the values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law throughout Europe, and for the strengthening of the political, legal, social and cultural cohesion of the continent.
The enlargement of the Council of Europe's membership to include the new democracies of Eastern Europe has given it a central role in European unification. The Government believe that to take forward this role it is essential that the Council re-affirm its structures and redefine its priorities to be able to act more effectively as a force for democratic stability. The Government therefore strongly support the recommendations of the report adopted by Ministers in Budapest in May. We want to see a strong and energetic and effective Council of Europe ready to face the new millennium.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister what were the reasons for the time taken in providing a full answer to the question of the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr. Hayes) of 20 May 1999, Official Report, column 403. [86716]
The Prime Minister:
The hon. Member's question--which asked for the figures showing that the Labour Party represents more rural constituencies than any other party--was due for answer on Tuesday 18 May and I gave a full reply two days later. The delay was due to the fact that on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 May, I was in Bulgaria and Albania visiting British troops and meeting Kosovar refugees and the leaders of these frontline states.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Prime Minister what plans the Government have to introduce a Holocaust Remembrance day; and if he will make a statement. [86654]
The Prime Minister:
I am determined to ensure that the horrendous crimes against humanity committed during the Holocaust are never forgotten. The ethnic cleansing and killing that has taken place in Europe in recent weeks are a stark example of the need for vigilance.
The Government are considering a proposal for a Holocaust Remembrance Day and I have asked my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to consult widely about this.
Ms Lawrence:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the Inland Revenue Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999-2000. [87027]
Dawn Primarolo:
There are no plans to change the overall Departmental Expenditure Limit of the Inland Revenue. However, subject to Parliamentary approval of
11 Jun 1999 : Column: 409
the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XVI, Vote 4, the Voted element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit will be increased by £46,319,000 from £1,836,316,000 to £1,882,635,000 to reflect the costs of administering working families tax credits and disabled persons tax credits from October 1999. The increase will be offset by a matching reduction in the non-voted element from £34,910,000 to -£11,409,000 reflecting the take-up of retained provision.
The Supplementary Estimate is subject to the passage of the Tax Credits Bill which has been laid before Parliament. The provision will not be used until the enabling legislation has been enacted or, in the event of the legislation not passing into law, further authority has been obtained from Parliament.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to persuade the Florida State Prosecutor to drop all charges of child abuse against Mr. and Mrs. Adams of Harrogate and obtain an apology for the way they were treated at St. Petersburg Beach, Florida. [86678]
Mr. Hoon:
The Government do not intervene in the judicial process of another sovereign country. This is a matter for Mr. and Mrs. Adam's lawyer. The family should address any complaints that they have about their treatment to the US authorities. They have been provided with the contact details.
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