The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1990-1997

1997Prime Minister (1990-1997)

PMQT Written Answers – 27 February 1997

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Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister’s Question Time from 27th February 1997.

PRIME MINISTER:

 

Letters to Shareholders

Mr. Wilson: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what was the source of the information on shareholder identities which he used to send his letter of 28 January to shareholders in privatised companies;

(2) under what statutory provisions he obtained the information on shareholder identities which he used to send letters to shareholders of privatised companies; and if he will make a statement.

The Prime Minister: The Government were not involved in obtaining the information which came from published sources.

 

Engagements

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 27 February.

Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 27 February.

Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 27 February.

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.

 

Parliamentary Answers

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Prime Minister how many questions were tabled for reply by his Department in each Session since 1979-80; in how many instances in each year the reply has been that providing the information involved disproportionate cost; and in how many instances in each year questions have been given the reply that the information was not available centrally.

The Prime Minister: A list of the total number of oral and written parliamentary questions answered by Government Departments in the Sessions 1982-83 to 1995-96, as supplied by the parliamentary on-line information service unit, has been placed in the Library of the House.

Figures for 1979-80 to 1981-82 are not available. My Office estimates that over the past year approximately 1 per cent. of the total number of parliamentary questions were not answered because of disproportionate costs or because the information requested was not held centrally.