The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1990-1997

1994Prime Minister (1990-1997)

PMQT Written Answers – 29 November 1994

Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister’s Question Time from 29th November 1994.


PRIME MINISTER:

 

State Property Inventories

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Prime Minister if he will give the dates on which state property inventories have been checked since 1980.

The Prime Minister: Departments are responsible for maintaining records of property which they hold for their specialised or operational use. Property Holdings maintains a record for the common user office estate. No central record is kept and the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

 

Lockerbie

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what evidence he has to support the public statement of Mrs. Stella Rimmington that MI5 had assisted in the tracking down and issue of warrants for the culprits of the Lockerbie crime; and if he will place in the Library the report of the conduct and knowledge of MI5 about terrorist threats against airliners in October to December 1988.

The Prime Minister: The greater part of the Security Service’s efforts is directed to countering terrorism.

As I made clear in reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Ravensbourne (Sir J. Hunt), on 14 July Official Report, column 712, it remains the Government’s policy not to provide information on the operations of the security and intelligence agencies. I have, therefore, nothing further to add to what the Director-General has already said.

 

Engagements

Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 29 November.

Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 29 November.

The Prime Minister: This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

 

Zoological Society

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the conduct of the council of the Zoological Society of London in respect of its adherence to its constitution and its performance of its objectives; and if he will make a statement.

The Prime Minister: The Zoological Society of London is an autonomous body operating under a royal charter. Ensuring adherence to the charter is not a matter for the Government.

 

Government

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Prime Minister how many members there are of his Administration, including Whips, (a) in the House of Commons, (b) in the House of Lords, (c) in neither and (d) in total; and if he will provide comparable figures for November 1989, November 1984 and May 1979.

The Prime Minister: This is a matter of public record. The information requested can be obtained from the Library of the House.

 

Ministers

Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Prime Minister what was the number of Ministers in Her Majesty’s Government in each year since 1979.

The Prime Minister: This is a matter of public record. The information requested can be obtained from the Library of the House.