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 – 11 July 1995

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Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister’s Question Time from 11th July 1995.

PRIME MINISTER:

 

Staff Shareholdings

Mr. Milburn: To ask the Prime Minister how many staff in his Department or its agencies have (a) declared any company shareholdings they hold or (b) been advised to dispose of shareholdings in the last five years, including the companies concerned.

The Prime Minister: For these purposes my office is part of the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science on 10 July.

 

Oil Platforms (Disposal)

Mr. Dafis: To ask the Prime Minister if he will transfer responsibility for the approval of the disposal of disused oil platforms at sea from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Department of the Environment, the Welsh Office and the Scottish Office.

The Prime Minister: No. The Department of Trade and Industry consults relevant Government Departments on all abandonment proposals.

 

Engagements

Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 11 July.

Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 11 July.

The Prime Minister: This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today.

 

Deputy Prime Minister

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister what is the salary of the Deputy Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister: The Ministerial salary of the First Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister is £42,834, in addition to his reduced parliamentary salary.

Mr. Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister which Cabinet sub-committees the Deputy Prime Minister has been asked to chair.

The Prime Minister: The First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister will be chairing a number of Cabinet committees. The revised composition and terms of reference of such committees will be published shortly.

Mr. Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister how many civil servants are employed in the Deputy Prime Minister’s Department.

The Prime Minister: The First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister is supported by the Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service). The competitiveness and deregulation division of DTI transferred to the Cabinet Office on 5 July and the Office of Science and Technology transferred to DTI on the same day. The transfers are still being finalised but the total number of civil servants in the Office of Public Service is likely to be about 1,000.

Mr. Ainger: To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the responsibilities and terms of reference of the Deputy Prime Minister, the number of staff for which he is responsible, the location of his office and that of his staff and the proposed budget of his office.

The Prime Minister: The First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister will assist generally and have specific responsibility for the competitiveness agenda, the working of Government and the presentation of policies. He will chair a number of Cabinet committees and will be an ex- officio member of Cabinet committees generally. He will have ministerial responsibility for the Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service). His office is located in the Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall. The total budget of the Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service), including those functions transferred from the DTI, will be approximately £80 million.

Mr. Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister, what are the (a) parliamentary and (b) other duties of the Deputy Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister: The First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister will answer in Parliament for the responsibilities of the Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service), and undertake any other parliamentary duties as appropriate. On his duties more generally, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger).

 

Consultants

Mr. Milburn: To ask the Prime Minister if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with privatisation programmes in which his Department has been engaged since 1980.

The Prime Minister: None.

 

Breast Cancer

Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Prime Minister how many post cards he has received from the national post card campaign for breast cancer launched on 7 June.

The Prime Minister: I have received a number of representations in connection with this campaign.