The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Author: admin

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Employment – 23 February 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Employment on 23rd February 1989.

    Mr. Tim Smith To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of total employment since 1983.

    Mr. Cash To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of total employment since 1983.

    Mr. William Powell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of total employment since 1983.

    Dr. Twinn To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of total employment since 1983.

    Mr. Major The work force in employment has increased by over 2¼ million since March 1983 to over 25¼ million, its highest ever level.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Balance of Payments – 23 February 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Balance of Payments on 23rd February 1989.

    Mr. Radice To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the balance of payments in 1989 and 1990.

    Mr. Hardy To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the balance of payments deficit in 1988–89 and 1989–90.

    Mr. Major The Autumn Statement provided forecasts of the current account for calendar years 1988 and 1989 only. A new forecast will be published on Budget day.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Investment and Consumption – 23 February 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Investment and Consumption on 23rd February 1989.

    Mr. Redwood To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth of (a) total investment and (b) total consumption in 1988.

    Mrs. Gorman To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth of (a) total investment and (b) total consumption in 1988.

    Mr. Carrington To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth of (a) total investment and (b) total consumption in 1988.

    Mr. Wood To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth of (a) total investment and (b) total consumption in 1988.

    Mr. Major Figures for total investment and total consumption for the whole of 1988 are not yet available. In the first three quarters of 1988 total investment and total consumption were 9.1 per cent. and 5 per cent. higher respectively than in the same period a year earlier.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Manufactured Goods – 23 February 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Manufactured Goods on 23rd February 1989.

    Mr. Butterfill To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the value of exports of manufactured goods for the United Kingdom for each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major United Kingdom exports of manufactured goods rose in value from £60,656 million in 1987 to £65,454 million in 1988. This is another indicator reflecting the strong performance of our manufacturing sector.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Economic Growth – 23 February 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Economic Growth on 23rd February 1989.

    Mr. Andrew MacKay To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of economic growth in the most recent one-year period for which figures are available.

    Mr. Neil Hamilton To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of economic growth in the most recent one-year period for which figures are available.

    Mr. Boswell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of economic growth.

    Mr. Major The output measure of gross domestic product grew by 4¾ per cent. in real terms in 1988. This has been the fourth consecutive year of growth in excess of 3 per cent., a performance unmatched since the war.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on New Businesses – 23 February 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on New Businesses on 23rd February 1989.

    Mr. David Nicholson To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest official figures on the number of business start-ups over the latest year for which figures are available.

    Mr. Patrick Thompson To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of business start-ups over the latest year for which figures are available.

    Mr. Quentin Davies To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest official figures on the number of business start-ups over the latest year for which figures are available.

    Sir Michael Shaw To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest official figures on the number of business start-ups over the latest year for which figures are available.

    Mr. Major In 1987, the latest year for which figures have been published by the Department of Employment, the net increase in the number of businesses registered for VAT was 45,000, comprising 205,000 registrations and 160,000 deregistrations. Department of Employment figures for 1988 will be available in the summer.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Self-Employment – 23 February 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Self-Employment on 23rd February 1989.

    Mr. Norris To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total growth in self-employment since 1979.

    Mr. Lord To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total growth in self-employment since 1979.

    Mr. Kirkhope To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total growth in self-employment since 1979.

    Mr. Michael Brown To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total growth in self-employment since 1979.

    Mr. Major Between June 1979 and September 1988 the number of self-employed people in Great Britain rose by 60 per cent. to nearly 3 million.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Indirect Taxation – 23 February 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Indirect Taxation on 23rd February 1989.

    Mr. Henderson To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of total tax revenue arose from indirect taxes in 1988; and what figures he has for the United States of American, Japan and West Germany.

    Mr. Major The latest directly comparable OECD figures are for 1986. They show that the share of indirect taxes in the total was 43 per cent. for the United Kingdom, 29 per cent. for the United States of America, 27 per cent. for Japan and 30 per cent. for West Germany.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Inflation – 23 February 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Inflation on 23rd February 1989.

    Mr. Ronnie Campbell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for inflation for 1989–90.

    Mr. Major My right hon. Friend the Chancellor will be giving a forecast in his Budget statement next month.

  • Mr Major’s Parliamentary Answer on Inflation – 23 February 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s response on Inflation, made on 23rd February 1989 in the House of Commons.

    Mr. Douglas To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest forecast for inflation for 1989–90.

    Ms. Walley To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest forecast for inflation for 1989–90.

    Mr. Major My right hon. Friend the Chancellor will be giving a forecast in his Budget statement next month.

    Mr. Douglas Does the Chief Secretary admit that one of the difficulties in anticipating the rise in inflation arises because the Chancellor has left himself only one weapon of economic management – interest rates – which is rather like asking Mr. Bruno to fight Mr. Tyson with one hand tied behind his back? As the Prime Minister was so appalled when the rate of inflation was 3 per cent., halving the value of money in a period of about 25 years, will the right hon. Gentleman give us some idea of what No. 10 is saying about that? When will the value of money be halved at the present rate?

    Mr. Major The hon. Gentleman may be under some misapprehensions, the first of which is about monetary policy, which has worked in the past and will work in the future. Neither is that the only aspect of my right hon. Friend’s policy; it is buttressed at the moment by a firm fiscal policy and a huge debt repayment, which was not the position when the hon. Gentleman’s party was in Government.

    Mr. Batiste Does my right hon. Friend agree that art increase in personal savings at the expense of personal expenditure would produce a downward pressure on inflation and the balance of payments deficit? If so, how best can such a welcome increase in personal savings be accomplished?

    Mr. Major I agree with my hon. Friend’s opening, remarks. My right hon. Friend’s high interest policy offers people a great incentive to save.

    Mr. James Lamond Is the Minister aware that the monetary policy is not working as satisfactorily as he thinks, according to the Manchester chamber of commerce and industry, which, in its latest bulletin, complains that high interest rates and a high pound are preventing firms from expanding at the rate that they would wish? Is he further aware that it feels that that policy may be all right for the overheated economy in the south-east of England, but is not acceptable in the north-west?

    Mr. Major The hon. Gentleman may have heard what my right hon. Friend said a few moments ago about the remarks of Mr. John Banham. In case he does not recollect them, I remind him that Mr. Banham said: We think the Chancellor should carry on with high interest rates to combat inflation. The hon. Gentleman neglected to say that the Manchester report was highly optimistic.

    Mr. Latham Since the Government’s interest rate policy is already having a dramatic effect in reducing overheating, and indeed output, in the private housing industry, is not the practical reality likely that market forces will soon force down building society borrowing rates?

    Mr. Major I am certainly not in the business of making that forecast, but my hon. Friend is entirely right that there are already clear signs of a slowdown in consumer spending, and one trusts that inflation will follow it down in due course.

    Dr. Marek Will the Chief Secretary accept that the Opposition are alarmed at the Paymaster General’s complacency about the dominance of hot money over direct and portfolio investment on the capital account and its clear threat of inflation? What measures is the Chief Secretary going to take with regard to this matter, or is he just going to keep to an interest rate war with the United States of America? If he does not take further measures, the country, as judge and jury, will find the Government and their economic policy guilty as charged.

    Mr. Major The hon. Gentleman’s remarks bear little or no relationship to the question. I find it very strange to hear lectures about inflation from the Labour party when every policy it recommends to us is inflationary in one aspect or another.