PMQT Written Answers – 26 October 1995
Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister’s Question Time from 26th October 1995.
PRIME MINISTER:
British Workers (Japan)
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to discuss with the Japanese Government the position of those British workers in Japan who, after paying into the Japanese state retirement pension scheme, are eligible neither for a pension nor for a lump sum payment.
The Prime Minister: Officials in the Department of Social Security have held informal, exploratory discussions with Japanese officials about a social security agreement between the two countries concentrating on matters of national insurance contribution liability. We have had no formal request from the Japanese Government for such an agreement, but any such approach would be carefully considered.
Free Phone Numbers
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the Departments and agencies that provide a free phone number allowing members of the public to pass on information regarding private individuals.
The Prime Minister: This information is not held centrally.
Young Scientists Contest
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Prime Minister what were his engagements on 11 September; what factors made it impossible for him to accept an invitation to open a European contest for young scientists on that date; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister: I have no record of an invitation to open such a contest on 11 September. I did receive an invitation, in February, to attend the meeting on 12 or 13 September, but I declined the invitation since I had no plans to be in Newcastle on that date; nor was I.
Cabinet Committees
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish an updated list of ministerial Committees of the Cabinet.
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Edmonton (Dr. Twinn) on 18 July, Official Report, columns 1005-12.
Nuclear Test Veterans
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the campaign led by the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association for recognition and compensation for those veterans who participated in or witnessed nuclear tests held by the United Kingdom.
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces gave to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 25 May, Official Report, column 662.
Public Appointments, South Yorkshire
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible in the county of South Yorkshire, indicating in each case the duration of the appointment, the date when a new appointment is due, and the salary;
(2) if he will list all the non-departmental public bodies to which his Office makes appointments in the county of South Yorkshire, with the total annual budget for each body and the number of appointments made or renewed for each body in each of the last four years.
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 today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Scottish Breast Campaign
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Prime Minister how many postcards he has received from the Scottish Breast Campaign; and to how many of these he has replied.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 25 October 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Falkirk, West (Mr. Canavan) on 16 October, Official Report, column 23.
Duke of Windsor (Papers)
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on information relating to (a) the conduct of the Duke of Windsor in World War Two, (b) Anthony Blunt’s visit to Schloss Friedricshof in April 1945 and (c) documents taken from Schloss Friedricshof in 1945 held by Her Majesty’s Government; and when this information will be available for public inspection.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 25 October 1995]: Papers removed from Schloss Friedricshof by Sir Owen Morshead, the King’s Librarian, and Anthony Blunt in 1945 were returned to Schloss Friedricshof in 1951.
Papers relating to the Duke of Windsor’s passage through Spain and Portugal in 1940 were published in 1957 in volume X of “Documents on German Foreign Policy”.
United Nations Day
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what engagements he had to mark United Nations Day.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 24 October 1995]: I attended the United Nations 50th anniversary commemorative summit meeting in New York between 22 and 24 October.
French Nuclear Tests
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss French nuclear testing in the Pacific in his forthcoming meeting with President Jacques Chirac of France.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 24 October 1995]: I shall be holding talks with President Chirac on 30 October, during the Anglo- French summit. It is expected that the talks will cover a wide range of current issues.
Joseph Rotblat
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Prime Minister what communications he has had with Joseph Rotblat on winning the Nobel peace prize.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Prime Minister what correspondence he has had with Professor Joseph Rotblat since the award to him of the Nobel peace prize; what assessment he has made of the works of the Pugwash Foundation; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 24 October 1995]: None.
Employee Fraud
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Prime Minister what was the total number of cases of all forms of fraud committed by employees of his (a) office and (b) non-departmental public bodies for each year from 1991 92 to 1994 95; and for each of these years, what was the total monetary sum (1) misappropriated in such frauds and (2) subsequently recovered.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 24 October 1995]: None.