The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1990-1997

1992Prime Minister (1990-1997)

PMQT Written Answers – 2 December 1992

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Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister’s Question Time from 2nd December 1992.

PRIME MINISTER:

 

Iraq

Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Prime Minister if he will agree to order that copies of all documents that are made available by Government Department’s to Lord Justice Scott’s inquiry in the export of arms, components and machine tools to Iraq shall also be made available on request to those committees of the Congress of the United States conducting comparable inquiries or investigation.

The Prime Minister : No, but requests for information will be considered on their merits.

Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister whether the briefing material relating to United Kingdom exports to Iraq, prepared for the Foreign Secretary’s meeting with Tariq Aziz, the Iraqi Foreign Minister in September 1989, still exists; and if he will make a statement.

The Prime Minister : Yes. The brief referred to British media interest in Iraqi procurement activities in the United Kingdom, naming Learfan and Matrix Churchill as examples. No further details were given and there was no other reference to United Kingdom defence exports to Iraq.

 

Civil List

Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all the occasions since 1972 on which a reimbursement by Her Majesty the Queen of civil list annuities to the Treasury in relation to other members of the royal family has taken place and what sums were involved in each case.

The Prime Minister : Since 1975 Her Majesty the Queen has fully reimbursed the Consolidated Fund for the annuities paid under section 3 of the Civil List Act 1972. I will arrange for the right hon. Gentleman to have the detail of each refund.

 

Her Majesty The Queen (Taxation)

Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the right hon. and learned Member for Monklands, East (Mr. Smith) of 26 November, Official Report, column 982, when the discussions with Her Majesty the Queen on taxation of her income began; and what consideration was given to the timing of the announcement.

The Prime Minister [holding answer 1 December 1992] : Her Majesty indicated to me some months ago before the summer recess that she wished consideration to be given to the basis on which she might voluntarily pay tax. Once discussion had reached a stage where it was clear that arrangements could be put in place for next year, I agreed with Her Majesty that I should notify the House as soon as possible.

 

Public Interest Immunity Certificates

Mr. Michael : To ask the Prime Minister how many public interest immunity certificates have been signed by Ministers in each of the last six months; and in what circumstances.

The Prime Minister [holding answer 24 November 1992] : Ministers signed two public interest immunity certificates in June, two in July, six in September, three in October and two in November.