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 – 19 June 1992

admin

Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister’s Question Time from 19th June 1992.

PRIME MINISTER:

 

India

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister when he next expects to visit India; and what matters he plans to discuss.

The Prime Minister : I look forward to visiting India when dates can be agreed. The issues for discussion would be decided nearer the time.

 

Expo ’92 Fair

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister what has been the cost of the British pavilion at the Expo ’92 Fair in Seville; which Minister was present at the opening ceremony; and what consideration in regard to the local ecology were taken into account in the preparation and construction of the United Kingdom pavilion.

The Prime Minister : The British pavilion at Expo ’92 cost £14 million to construct. Its design is environmentally sensitive, using sails and water as shields from the sun, thus reducing its energy consumption substantially. Sir John Ure, United Kingdom Commissioner General, represented Britain at the Expo ’92 opening ceremony.

 

Earth Summit

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out for each Government Department represented at the Earth summit in Rio de Janeiro, the number, grade and role of the 24 officials and eight junior support staff in the United Kingdom delegation; if he will list the title of each document submitted to the Rio de Janeiro conference; and what responses were made to each document.

The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment and Countryside gave on 9 June 1992, column 147.

The Government submitted the following documents to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development secretariat : “This Common Inheritance” : 1990 Environment White Paper. “This Common Inheritance” : first-year report.

United Nations Environment Programme United Kingdom’s non-governmental organisation Agenda 21 report.

Local government statement on United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources’ “Caring for the Earth” report ; and

Inter-Agency Committee on Global and Environmental Change report on United Kingdom research.

No formal response has been received to any of the documents as they were submitted for information only.

 

Peace Dividend

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Prime Minister what level of peace dividend he expects the United Kingdom to achieve over the next five years on current Government policies.

The Prime Minister : The Government’s expenditure plans for the next three years were set out by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Statement (Cm 1729). These show the underlying cost of the defence programme being reduced significantly in real terms. No decisions have yet been taken on expenditure in later years. The Government remain committed to the maintenance of a strong and effective defence for the United Kingdom and its interests.