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Resource Accounting
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications of moving to Resource Accounting for public borrowing for investment. [91112]
Mr. Milburn: Our plans for public borrowing for investment are defined by the fiscal rules that will continue to be adhered to. Forecasts for net investment and net borrowing are as set out in the Financial Statement and Budget Report. The move to Resource Accounting and Budgeting will ensure that the full economic costs of capital are properly measured and provide the correct incentives to manage capital properly once purchased.
Regional Development Agencies
Dr. George Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to consult Regional Development Agencies in the preparation of his economic targets. [91126]
Ms Hewitt: The Regional Development Agencies will be producing their first Regional Economic Strategies by the autumn, and these will be updated over time. The Government have asked that the strategies include a clear analysis of the regional economy. This will provide the Treasury with information which will contribute to the development of Government economic policy.
Private Finance Initiative
Ms Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will respond to the reviews undertaken by Sir Malcolm Bates and Peter Gershon, examining, respectively, the conduct of the Private Finance Initiative and Civil Procurement; and if he will make a statement. [93099]
Mr. Milburn: I am today placing in the Library of the House copies of Sir Malcolm Bates' Report and Peter Gershon's Report. We have accepted in full all the recommendations and our plans for taking forward these are set out in a document "Modern Government, Modern Procurement" which has also been placed in the Library.
Gibraltar
Mr. Gill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress towards Gibraltar becoming passported to provide banking services. [88848]
Ms Hewitt: HMG intend to approve shortly the passporting of banking services into the UK by Gibraltar-based credit institutions.
Appointments (Quangos)
Mr. Singh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many members of Britain's (a) ethnic minority communities and (b) Asian community he appointed to quangos between (i) 1 June 1997 and 31 May 1998 and (ii) 1 June 1998 and 31 May 1999; [92116]
- (2) how many appointments to quangos he made between (i) 1 June 1997 and 31 May 1998 and (ii) 1 June 1998 and 31 May 1999. [92045]
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Ms Hewitt: The Government announced in their publication "Quangos: Opening up Public Appointment 1999-2002" (copies deposited in the Libraries of both Houses) their commitment to the equal representation of women and men in public appointments and a pro rata representation of members of ethnic minority groups. In moving towards achieving these commitments, the Chancellor's departments have set an ambitious overall goal that each of the Chancellor's departments' public bodies should include at least one appointment from a member of the ethnic minorities by 2003, and that ethnic minorities should account for a minimum of 4 per cent. of appointments to larger bodies. In 1998, about 5.4 per cent. of all appointments by the Chancellor's departments and agencies were held by members of the ethnic minorities.
| Appointments | ||
|---|---|---|
| NDPB | 1 June 1997 to 31 May 1998 | 1 June 1999 to 31 May 1999 |
| Policyholders Protection Board | 4 | 1 |
| Royal Mint Advisory Committee | 3 | 2 |
| Statistics Advisory Committee | 2 | 0 |
Official Documents
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a list of all those official documents of the last Administration which have been seen by (a) him, (b) other Ministers in his Department, (c) special advisers in his Department and (d) non-career civil servants appointed since May 1997 in his Department. [92169]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 20 July 1999]: A large number of official documents were generated during the period of the previous Administration, many of which were published or put in the public domain. Since May 1997, HM Treasury has been guided by the convention governing access to the papers of a previous Administration, as set out in the Prime Minister's reply to a written question on 24 January 1980, Official Report, columns 305-07.
Correspondence
Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average time for a substantive reply to be sent to hon. Members' correspondence; what proportion takes more than (a) four weeks, (b) six weeks and (c) eight weeks; and what is his estimate of the number of letters received in a year from hon. Members. [92457]
Ms Hewitt:
I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office to the hon. Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron) on 11 June 1999, Official Report, columns 403-06, which sets out the performance against departmental targets for answering correspondence from right hon. and hon. Members in the 1998 calendar year. More detailed
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information about the percentage of correspondence replied to within the time scales specified could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Anne Campbell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the conduct of monetary policy since May 1997. [91118]
Mr. Milburn:
The new monetary policy framework has enhanced the credibility and transparency of monetary policy and is delivering results: inflation is low and close to target, inflation expectations have fallen and long-term interest rates and mortgage rates are at their lowest for over 30 years.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the Bournemouth office of the Inland Revenue is described as Inland Revenue South East. [92411]
Dawn Primarolo:
The two Inland Revenue offices in Bournemouth are called Bournemouth 1&2 and are within the area of responsibility of the Director of the Inland Revenue South East Regional Executive Office.
Ms Keeble:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to ensure access to financial services in poorer communities. [91119]
Ms Hewitt:
We are studying the reports of the two Treasury-led Policy Action teams, established following the September 1998 report of the Social Exclusion Unit, "Bringing Britain together".
Joan Ruddock:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed in the organic farming and foods sector in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99; and how many are forecast to be employed in 1999-2000. [92094]
Mr. Morley:
I have been asked to reply.
The information is not available in the form requested. However, our records show that in 1997-98, 292 farmers in the UK had land registered as organic or in conversion to organic farming. The equivalent figures for 1998-99 and to date for 1999-2000 are 733 and 1,165.
Prescription Costs
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average total cost per item, net of VAT, dispensed during the most recent year for which figures are available for (a) prescriptions issued by dispensing doctors and (b) prescriptions issued by prescribing doctors. [87967]
Mr. Denham:
The information requested is not available centrally.
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Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the terms of reference for the current review of market testing of support services for NHS support services; when the review will be completed; if he will publish the results and conclusions of the review; and if he will make a statement. [89818]
Mr. Denham:
The key results and conclusions of the National Health Service Executive internal review of market testing will be included within new guidance on NHS support services which will be published later this year.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if consultant surgeons and other consultants working in the private sector are obliged to publish their charging arrangements; and what assessment he has made of the extent of differential pricing for operations and consultations charged to insurance compared with charges made directly to patients. [91275]
Mr. Denham:
Consultants working in private sector healthcare are not obliged to publish their charges and are free to charge whatever they wish and to offer preferential rates if they see fit to do so. The Department has no powers to intervene in contracts outside the National Health Service.
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