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IMF: Accountability
Lord Steel of Aikwood asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What accountability mechanisms exist for the International Monetary Fund to be answerable to member governments.[HL4852]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The board of governors, on which all member countries are represented, is the highest authority governing the IMF and through which IMF management is held accountable by member governments. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the UK's governor. The board of governors meets once a year at the IMF annual meetings.
The International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), currently chaired by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is the main committee of the board of governors. The IMFC is the main forum for discussing IMF policies at ministerial level. The IMFC meets twice a year at the spring and annual meetings.
On a day-to-day basis the IMF is answerable to the executive board, which is responsible for conducting the business of the fund. There are 24 executive directors representing all member countries through a constituency system. The UK is a single country constituency and the executive director is a senior official from HM Treasury.
The recent establishment of the IMF's Independent Evaluation Office is an important development to enhance the accountability of the IMF. After wide consultation with member governments, the IMF and civil society on the design of their work programme, the IEO intends to publish its first report, on repeat use of fund resources, in time for the annual meetings. The IEO will continue to report regularly to member governments through the IMFC and the executive board.
The Government are also committed to improving the accountability and transparency of the UK's dealings with the IMF. HM Treasury publishes an annual report to Parliament and to the public describing in detail the position taken by the UK on key policies and operations.
RPIX
Lord Jacobs asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What would be the retail prices index (to two decimal places) excluding mortgage interest payments (RPIX) in December 2000, December 2001 and May 2002 if the depreciation of owner-occupied houses, which has been a component of the index since 1995, were to be excluded from 1 January 2000; and how this compares with the RPIX of the relevant months.[HL4877]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from the National Statistician, Len Cook, dated 1 July 2002.
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the Retail Prices Index (RPI). Your question asks what the all items RPI excluding mortgage interest payments (RPIX) would be in December 2000, December 2001 and May 2002 to two decimal places if the depreciation component were excluded and how this compares with RPIX of the relevant months.[HL4877]
The table below compares index levels for RPIX and RPIX, excluding the depreciation component, for each of the months in question. These indices are shown to one decimal place, the level of accuracy we deem to be of publishable quality.
| Month | RPIX | RPIX excluding depreciation |
| December 2000 | 169.3 | 167.7 |
| December 2001 | 172.5 | 170.5 |
| May 2002 | 175.2 | 173.0 |
You might like to note for future reference that these figures are published each month in table 2 of the Consumer Price Indices First Release and on the National Statistics website www.statistics.gov.uk.
Lord Vivian asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): Private Benton died on 9 June 1995; his body was found at the perimeter
Private James died on 27 November 1995; her body was found in a wooded area adjacent to the Royal Way rear gate at the Princess Royal Barracks in Deepcut. The death was investigated by Surrey police, with assistance from SIB RMP. The exact date of conclusion is not clear. A coroner's inquest took place on 21 December 1995 and recorded an open verdict.
Private Gray died on 17 September 2001; his body was found at the perimeter fence adjacent to the Officers' Mess. A coroner's inquest took place on 19 March 2002 and recorded an open verdict.
Private Collinson died on 23 March 2002; his body was found at the perimeter fence of the Officers' Mess. No coroner's inquest has yet taken place.
The deaths of Private Gray and Private Collinson are subject to ongoing investigations by a detective chief inspector of the Surrey police. An Army board of inquiry will be held into each incident in due course, although this cannot take place until the associated police investigations are complete.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Bach: The Ministry of Defence is working closely with a number of organisations to develop the Royal Navy's plans for the commemoration of the Battle of Trafalgar in 2005. Led by the Official Nelson Commemoration Committee, which brings together the interests of a wide range of maritime museums and associations connected with the Nelson heritage, a national and international programme of cultural and commemorative events is being discussed, among which a number of events involving the Royal Navy are being considered but at this stage it is too early to be precise.
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Bach: At the time of signing the contract for the RAF human centrifuge with the Environmental
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Bach: The contractual date at which the Environmental Tectonics Corporation human centrifuge was to have been taken into service by the Ministry of Defence was 28 October 1999. This date has remained unchanged since the signing of the contract.
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the total expenditure to date on the RAF human centrifuge project.[HL4781]
Lord Bach: This information is the subject of legal proceedings between the Ministry of Defence and the company and as a result I am withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 4 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to legal proceedings.
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Bach: I can confirm that, in accordance with the contract, payments have been made to the Environmental Tectonics Corporation in respect of the RAF human centrifuge project.
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Bach: The meaning of the sentence "We anticipate that the costs for the new project will be in line with the original costs for the programme" is that the anticipated total expenditure on the new proposed contract for the RAF human centrifuge will be no more than that on the original aborted contract with Environmental Tectonics Corporation. This does not include payments made to ETC in accordance with the original contract prior to its termination, as these are currently the subject of legal proceedings.
In respect of the deaths of Private Benton in June 1995, Private James in November 1995, Private Gray in September 2001 and Private Collinson in March 2002, what was the precise date of death in each case; where was the body found; on what date was the investigation into death concluded; what was the rank and status of the person in charge of that investigation; whether there was a civil inquest; if so, on what date was that inquest held, and by whom; and what was the finding of that inquest.[HL4630]
What plans they have, or may have, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the naval victory of Trafalgar in 2005.[HL4736]
Whether at the time of the signing of the contract with the Environmental Tectonics Corporation they were aware of any failures by the company to deliver on contracts to supply equipment of a similar kind to other customers.[HL4778]
What was the in-service date expected for the RAF human centrifuge project at the time of the signing of the contract with Environmental Tectonics Corporation.[HL4779]
When they first became aware of the inability of Environmental Tectonics Corporation to fulfil the contract for the RAF human centrifuge, and[HL4780]
Whether any payments have been made to Environmental Tectonics Corporation in respect of the RAF human centrifuge project.[HL4782]
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 29 May (WA150), whether the sentence "We anticipate that the costs for the new project will be in line with the original costs for the programme" is intended to mean that the total of the expenditure on the aborted contract to date and of the new proposed contract for the RAF human centrifuge will be no more than that expected for the original aborted contract.[HL4783]
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