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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 17 October 1990
PRIME MINISTER
Natural History Museum
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Prime Minister whom she intends to appoint to replace Sir Gerald Ronson on the board of trustees at the natural history museum.
The Prime Minister : There are at present no vacancies on the board of the natural history museum to which I appoint but any new appointments will be announced in due course.
Exchange Rate Mechanism
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on seeking a revaluation of the sterling exchange rate mechanism band.
The Prime Minister : Together with our European partners we are fully committed to maintain the system of central rates and intervention limits agreed with them over the weekend of 6 and 7 October.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister if she has anything to add to her statement of 12 July 1989, Official Report, column 518, about the conditions for United Kingdom adherence to the European monetary system.
The Prime Minister : I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15 October at columns 928-29.
Single European Currency
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the reply of the Lord President of the Council to the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Sparkbrook (Mr. Hattersley), Official Report, 26 June, columns 179-80, whether she will make a further statement on progress towards a single European currency.
The Prime Minister : The Government remain opposed to the imposition of a single European currency as prescribed in stage 3 of the Delors report. The Chancellor of the Exchequer set out the Government's alternative proposals for developments beyond stage 1 on 20 June. These include a new institution, the European monetary fund, and a common European currency, the hard ecu.
Economy
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the changes in economic circumstances which have taken place since 16 September.
The Prime Minister : Since 16 September there has been further evidence that sustained tight monetary policy backed by firm budgetary control has now checked demand growth and is reducing inflationary pressures in
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the economy. The Chancellor was able to announce, with effect from 8 October, a one-point reduction in interest rates and, at the same time, United Kingdom entry to the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system.Departmental Costs
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Prime Minister how much was spent by her office on official hospitality in 1989-90.
The Prime Minister : The cost of official hospitality met by my office during 1989-90 was £27,427.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Prime Minister if she will provide the final figures for 1989-90 for (a) the cost of maintaining and running No. 10 Downing street and additional costs at Chequers, (b) the grant-in-aid to the Chequers Trust and (c) the costs on a consistent basis and expressed at constant 1984-85 prices.
The Prime Minister : The figures requested are as follows : (
(a) Cost of maintaining and running 10 Downing street and additional costs at Chequers (1) (2) (3)
1989-90--£7,669,276
(b) Grant in aid to the Chequers Trust
1989-90--£238,000
(c) Costs at (a) and (b) in 1984-85 price terms (4)
1989-90 (a) £5,856,878
(b) £181,756
Notes :
(1) The figures include costs at both 10 Downing street and Chequers ; the information is not available by location.
(2) Salaries and wages, notional pension liability, administration costs, the costs of office services and the grant in aid to the Chequers Trust are included. The Prime Minister's salary is excluded.
(3) These totals are calculated on a consistent basis with the total for 1986-87 in sub-paragraph (a) of the reply to the hon. Member on 23 October 1987 at column 846 . If office services costs are excluded (to produce a figure consistent with those at sub-paragraph (c) of that reply) the total is :
1989-90 £7,155,708 £5,464,676 (5)
(4) Constant costs have been calculated using the Treasury's GDP deflator for 1989-90 rebased to 1984-85.
(5) At 1984-85 prices.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Prime Minister if she will provide the final figure for 1989-90 for the total cost to public funds of all her offices, duties, accommodation and expenses.
The Prime Minister : The total cost of all my offices in 1989-90 was £7,704,396 (1).
Note :
(1) Salaries and wages, notional pension liability, administration costs, and the grant in aid to the Chequers Trust are included. My salary as a Cabinet Minister is also included. My pay and allowances as a Member of this House are excluded.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Prime Minister what was the total cost of travel incurred by her office in 1989-90.
The Prime Minister : The total cost of my travel and that of my staff in 1989-90 was £948,656.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Know-how Fund
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money (a) has been and (b) is to be allocated to each country under the know-how fund.
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Mrs. Chalker : A total of £50 million has been allocated to Poland, and £25 million to Hungary both for expenditure over a period of years. The know-how fund was extended to the German Democratic Republic and Czechoslovakia in March and April respectively. No specific country financial limits were announced. The know -how fund for the GDR ceased on 3 October.Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the projects funded by the know-how fund in each of the countries of eastern and central Europe since its inception.
Mrs. Chalker : I refer to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 14 March at column 236 , to my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Dr. Woodcock) on 13 June at column 213 and to my hon. Friends the Members for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) and for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold) on 2 July at column 417 . The additional activities approved since then under the know-how fund are as follows :
Czechoslovakia--
Title : Anglo-Czechoslovak Law Seminar
Description : Four Czechoslovak lawyers attended a seminar in London organised by the Anglo-Czechoslovak Law Association. Status : Completed.
Cost : £2,000.
Title : Data Envelopment Analysis Programme
Description : The London School of Economics ran a short computer programming course based at the Ecole Polytechnique de Brno. A computer has been installed at the Polytechnique to enable them to undertake further courses.
Status : Completed.
Cost : £10,000.
Title : Prince of Wales Scholarships
Description : Two Czechoslovak students will be sponsored to attend courses at Atlantic College, Wales.
Status : The two students took-up their courses in October 1990. Cost : £9,300.
Title : Workshops on Tax Structure and Public Finance
Description : The Institute of Fiscal Studies in cooperation with the Czechoslovak Institute of Economics and Sociology is to arrange, over a two year period, a programme of workshops to examine tax requirements and procedures resulting from the changes in Czechoslovakia. In addition there will be inward and outward visits by researchers and the provision of computer equipment.
Status : Started September 1990.
Cost : £25,000.
Title : Training for personnel of Czechoslovak TV
Description : VISNEWS have arranged a short training programme for key personnel from Czechoslovak TV News to enable them to see how news coverage is approached in Britain and to look at United Kingdom equipment and production techniques.
Status : Completed.
Cost : £5,000.
Title : Media Training for Czechoslovak Radio
Description : A group of journalists from Czechoslovak Radio undertook a two day training session with an individual consultant looking at ways of improving presentation and content.
Status : Completed.
Cost : £200.
Title : Legal Education
Description : The Jan Hus Foundation is to advise Czechoslovak Universities on the reform of their system of legal education.
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Status : Underway.Cost : £5,000.
Title : Assistance for Privatisation
Description : A team of privatisation advisers from Ernst and Young, Schroders and Denton Hall will undertake a six month assignment to advise the Czechoslovak Privatisation Agency. Status : Started September 1990.
Cost : £450,000.
Title : Broadcasting Training
Description : The BBC World Service is to provide a six week course for Czechoslovak broadcasters on the methods and techniques of broadcasting and journalism in a plural society.
Status : To start February 1991.
Cost : £250,000.
Title : Banking Training
Description : A visit to assess the training needs of the Czechoslovak banking sector.
Status : Completed.
Cost : £12,000.
Title : Banking Training
Description : A programme of six two week seminars for senior managers of various banks in Czechoslovakia.
Status : To be implemented.
Cost : £170,000.
Title : Assistance to the Ceskoslovenska Obchodnoi Banka Description : Two consultants will work alongside bank staff as part of a team finalising the evaluation of an integrated software package.
Status : Started October 1990.
Cost : £14,500.
Title : Assistance to the Komercni Banka
Description : The placement of ten Czechoslovak bankers, selected by the Komercni Banka, with British clearing banks, mainly in their documentary credits departments in order to obtain practical, working experience of international commercial banking business.
Status : Started October 1990.
Cost : £35,000.
Title : Assistance to the Investicni Banka
Description : Barclays Bank to provide a three day training course to two employees of the Investicni Banka in the issue of Certificates of Deposit.
Status : Completed.
Cost : £900.
Title : Development of employment Services in Slovakia. Description : A short visit by two Employment Service officials to Slovakia to ascertain needs in the employment sector.
Status : To be implemented.
Cost : £3,000
Title : Book Sector Study.
Description : A study to consider all factors relevant to educational book development which will form the basis for a more detailed book development programme to be linked to an IBRD contribution to this sector.
Status : To be implemented.
Cost : £44,500.
Title : Training for Employment Services Managers.
Description : The Employment Service are to provide a number of courses for the Czechoslovak equivalent of Jobcentre managers. Status : To be implemented.
Cost : £53,000.
Title : Training and Retraining of Adults.
Description : Up to ten Czechoslovak officials will visit the United Kingdom for two weeks to look at adult training facilities and policy.
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