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Abortions (Barnet)
Dr. Vis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many abortions were carried out on residents of the London Borough of Barnet in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many of these were (a) carried out in the NHS and (b) paid for by the NHS under an agency agreement. [39052]
Mrs. Liddell: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Tim Holt to Dr. Rudi Vis, dated 22 April 1998:
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on abortions in Barnet.
The information for residents of Barnet health authority is available in Table 22 for 1994, and Table 21 for 1995 and 1996 in the ONS Abortion Statistics publication, Series AB Nos. 21-23 for 1994 to 1996. These publications are available in the House of Commons Library.
Exchange Rates
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the rate of exchange for sterling's entry to EMU will be determined. [39326]
Mrs. Liddell: In accordance with Protocol 11 of the Treaty on European Union, the UK Government have informed the Council that they do not intend to move to the third stage of economic and monetary union on 1 January 1999. The Government will consider the question of how the exchange rate for sterling's entry to EMU will be determined if and when we decide to join.
Financial Services
Mr. Caplin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on how the forthcoming legislation reforming the regulatory system for financial services will affect the role of auditors and actuaries. [39559]
Mrs. Liddell: The relationship between auditors, actuaries and the regulators is an important feature of the supervisory system in the UK. The financial services regulators take into account the role and responsibilities of both auditors and actuaries when determining the appropriate nature and intensity of regulatory supervision both at firm and industry level. I intend that the proposed new legislation to be published in the Summer will build on, and strengthen, this special relationship.
As now, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) will continue to be able to make rules requiring authorised firms to appoint an auditor where they are not already under a duty to do so. The legislation will also allow the FSA to make rules regarding the appointment of actuaries on the same basis. Where there is a need for an investigation or report on any aspect of an authorised firm's business, the FSA will continue to be able to either appoint, or require firms to use the services of, a qualified auditor, actuary or other professional.
I also propose that the FSA's current powers to sanction auditors should be extended to cover actuaries. This will allow the FSA to disqualify an auditor or actuary from
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being the auditor or actuary of any firm regulated by the FSA for a specified period where they have failed to inform the regulator about matters of regulatory concern uncovered in the course of their duties. The provisions which disapply any confidentiality requirements an auditor might breach in passing on such information would also be extended to actuaries. Although I would expect this to be a little used power, it is vital that the FSA should be able to rely on auditors and actuaries, with their expertise and special access to information, to let them know of any such concerns.
Mr. Derek Twigg:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the Bank's power to collect information for monetary policy purposes. [39560]
Mrs. Liddell:
The Government's Response to consultation on the Bank's power to collect information for monetary policy purposes is published today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Most respondents welcomed the move to a statutory basis for the Banks collection of information for monetary policy purposes. They acknowledged that as it was intended largely to place the existing scheme on a statutory basis, it did not imply any increase in costs for the foreseeable future.
The Government also assured respondents that the Bank would continue to consult on any major changes to the statistical system. The Government are concerned to ensure that the cost of supplying statistical information is kept to a minimum, consistent with meeting the information needs of the Bank. And the Act also requires the Treasury to consult appropriate representative institutions if any changes are proposed to the range of financial affairs, or to the categories of institutions from which information can be collected.
Ms Lawrence:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish the statement on the 1998 Community Budget; and if he will make a statement. [39612]
Mrs. Liddell:
I have today laid before Parliament the Statement on the 1998 Community Budget, entitled "European Community Finances". This White Paper is the eighteenth in the series. As in the past, it covers annual budgetary matters and includes details of recent developments in European Community financial management and in countering fraud against the Community Budget. It also describes the Community Budget for 1998 as adopted by the European Parliament, and the United Kingdom's gross and net contributions to the Community Budget between 1995 and 1998.
I have placed copies of the White Paper in both Libraries of the House.
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Mr. Flight:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those European Commission (a) newsletters, (b) magazines and (c) occasional publications to which his Department subscribes. [33666]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
This Department subscribes to such European Commission newsletters, magazines and other publications as are necessary to support its work.
Mr. Ian Stewart:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those compliance cost assessments published during the latest six month period. [39443]
Dr. David Clark:
The Government are committed to ensuring that regulations are necessary, give effective protection, balance cost and risk, are fair and command public confidence. In accordance with this, we require Departments to produce and publish CCAs for all regulatory proposals likely to have an impact on business, charities and the voluntary sector.
I have presented to Parliament today a Command Paper listing 77 CCAs and regulatory appraisals incorporating CCAs published between 1 July 1997 and 31 December 1997. This is the eighth such Command Paper.
Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on access to information about EU aid projects. [38439]
Clare Short:
The Commission and the Council are committed to the principle of allowing the public the widest possible access to documents held by the Commission and Council. Details on how to access information are contained in the Code of Conduct concerning public access to Commission and Council documents. This covers all types of information about a project, but does contain a list of exceptions--documents considered commercially or politically sensitive do not need to be released. This can include some aid documentation such as aid strategy agreements with third countries and project financing proposals put to the Management Committees (whose dealings are confidential).
All commercial tenders (whether restricted or open) have to be published in the Official Journal which is available on the Internet: by this means a lot of information about aid projects is put into the public domain. The Commission is generally regarded as getting better at improving its efforts to provide information in this area too. However, although the principles on releasing information are the same across all the external relations Directorates General (DG) each can interpret them differently. This can cause confusion, but the establishment of the Common Services Directorate
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(SCOOP) should help to standardise procedures and increase transparency. There are also designated information officers in each DG for the public to contact.
Mrs. Ann Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the health implications of the use of manual vacuum aspiration for elective abortions in refugee camps; and if she will make it her policy that manual vacuum aspiration for elective abortions should not be used in such circumstances. [38638]
Clare Short:
Where permitted by law and provided in line with appropriate medical practice, manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) can have a useful role in protecting the health of a woman who seeks to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. MVA is also a valuable technique for treating incomplete abortions, whether spontaneous or induced.
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