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Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Economic Policy on 6th July 1989.

Mr. James Lamond To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from institutions in the City of London about United Kingdom economic policy.

Ms. Harman To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from institutions in the City of London about United Kingdom economic policy.

Mr. Major I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones).

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Public Expenditure on 6th July 1989.

Mr. Wood To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on his plans for public expenditure in 1990–91.

Mr. Mitchell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on his plans for public expenditure in 1990–91.

Mr. Major The Government’s expenditure plans for 1990–91 were published in the 1989 public expenditure White Paper, Cm 601–621; they will be considered in the public expenditure survey and the results will be announced in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Autumn Statement.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Children in Poverty on 6th July 1989.

Mrs. Mahon To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from the Child Poverty Action Group on the number of children living in poverty.

Mr. Corbyn To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from the Child Poverty Action Group on the number of children living in poverty.

Mr. Blunkett To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from the Child Poverty Action Group on the number of children living in poverty.

Mr. Tom Clarke To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from Child Poverty Action Group on the number of children living in poverty.

Mr. Major My right hon. Friend has had no such representations.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Government Expenditure on 6th July 1989.

Mr. John Marshall To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds, as a proportion of gross domestic product since 1982–83.

Mr. Sayeed To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds, as a proportion of gross domestic product since 1982–83.

Mr. Devlin To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds, as a proportion of gross domestic product since 1982–83.

Mr. Major The 1989 “Financial Statement and Budget Report” gave a figure of 39.5 per cent. for the ratio of general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds, to gross domestic product in 1988–89. The corresponding figure for 1982–83 was 46.75 per cent.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Imports and Exports on 6th July 1989.

Mr. Radice To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for growth in the current year in (a) non-oil imports and (b) non-oil exports.

Mr. Bell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for growth in 1989 in (a) non-oil imports and (b) non-oil exports.

Mr. Boyes To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for growth in the current year in (a) non-oil imports and (b) non-oil exports.

Mrs. Clwyd To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for growth in 1989 in (a) non-oil imports and (b) non-oil exports.

Mr. Major No. Not until the Autumn Statement.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Profitability on 6th July 1989.

Mr. Tracey To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in profitability for non-North sea industrial and commercial companies over the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Mans To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in profitability for non-North sea industrial and commercial companies over the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Waller To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in profitability for non-North sea industrial and commercial companies over the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Major The net real rate of return for non-North sea industrial and commercial companies was estimated in the “Financial Statement and Budget Report” to have risen in 1988 to almost 11 per cent., its highest level for over 20 years.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Business Start-Ups on 6th July 1989.

Mr. Brazier To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of business start-ups per week in net terms in 1988–89; and what were the comparable figures in 1987–88.

Mr. David Davis To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of business start-ups per week in net terms in 1988–89; and what were the comparable figures in 1987–88.

Mr. Dunn To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of business start-ups per week in net terms in 1988–89; and what were the comparable figures in 1987–88.

Mr. Major In the calendar year 1987, the latest for which figures have been published by the Department of Employment, the net increases in the number of businesses registered for VAT was 45,000 an average of nearly 900 a week. The figures for 1988 will be available later in the summer. However, the unadjusted Customs and Excise figures suggest that the rate of increase since 1987 has been even faster, and the net increase in the financial year 1988–89 may have amounted to some 1,300 per week.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Investment on 6th July 1989.

Mr. Burt To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what share of gross domestic product was accounted for by business investment in 1988.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what share of gross domestic product was accounted for by business investment in 1988.

Mr. Simon Coombs To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what share of gross domestic product was accounted for by business investment in 1988.

Mr. Major Business investment, as defined in the “Financial Statement and Budget Report”, accounted for 14.6 per cent. of GDP in 1988. This is the highest proportion of GDP ever recorded.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Employment on 6th July 1989.

Mr. Watts To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total increase in employment in the United Kingdom economy and in each of the other major European countries since 1983.

Mr. Day To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total increase in employment in the United Kingdom economy and in each of the other major European countries since 1983.

Mr. Norris To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total increase in employment in the United Kingdom economy and in each of the other major European countries since 1983.

Mr. Major The information is as follows:

Growth in Total Employment 1983–88

Percentage growth | 000s
United Kingdom 11.0 2,589
Germany 3.2 820
France -0.2 -50
Italy 4.2 930
Spain 5.5 620
Netherlands 5.6 250
Belgium 3.6 130

Source: Department of Employment for United Kingdom (figures are for increase between June 1983 and June 1988). Other countries’ figures calculated from estimates of growth in employment given in June 1989 OECD Economic Outlook (estimates rounded to nearest 10,000).

Mr. Riddick To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the effect on public expenditure of the fall in the level of unemployment over the last two and half years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Major As a result of the fall in unemployment between January 1987 and May 1989, public expenditure on benefits for the unemployed has been approximately £2.75 billion lower than it would otherwise have been over this period.