The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1990-1997

1995Prime Minister (1990-1997)

PMQT Written Answers – 3 July 1995

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Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister’s Question Time from 3rd July 1995.

PRIME MINISTER:

 

Housing (Young People)

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Prime Minister how many letters he has received recently expressing concern about the housing conditions of young people.

The Prime Minister: I have received a number of letters on this subject.

 

Brent Spar

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library copies of the briefings he has received on the options for the final disposal of the Brent Spar platform.

The Prime Minister: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to release ministerial briefing material.

 

Information Technology

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Prime Minister what consideration has been given to the implications of merging the Department of Social Security and Inland Revenue data; and if he will make a statement.

The Prime Minister: There are no plans to merge Department of Social Security and Inland Revenue data, but as part of the Government deregulation initiatives both the DSS and the Inland Revenue are required to review their respective information technology strategies.

 

Ministerial Posts and Pay

Dr. Wright: To ask the Prime Minister what have been the changes since 1979 of (a) the number of Ministers, (b) the cost of ministerial salaries and (c) the number of parliamentary private secretaries and other unpaid posts.

The Prime Minister: On the basis of the definition of Ministers within schedule 1 of the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975, and including the Lord Chancellor, (a) the number of Ministers on 9 May 1979 was 107 and is currently 108; (b) in cash terms, on 9 May 1979 the cost of ministerial salaries was £1,356,188 and the current cost is £3,598,084; (c) comparable information for this date is not available.

Mr. Gapes: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his statement on 28 June 1995, Official Report, columns 893-909, on the outcome of the Cannes summit if all the reductions in Britain’s contribution to the European development fund will be retained in the overseas development budget and used for bilateral aid to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

The Prime Minister: Our contribution to the eighth European development fund will be spent over some five years from the year 2000. Final years for the aid budget in these years will be determined during the annual public expenditure survey in the light of all relevant factors.