The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

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  • Mr Major’s Written Question on Supplementary Benefit – 21 November 1980

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Supplementary Benefit, published on 21st November 1980.

    Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to limit receipt of supplementary benefit by nationals of the member States of the European Community.

    Mrs. Chalker Community nationals cannot be denied access to the supplementary benefits scheme, but those who come here with the deliberate intention of relying on the scheme for support can be asked to leave the country by the Home Office. Arrangements have been made for appreciably earlier reports of benefit claims to be made to the Home Office by the DHSS. This should help speed up action and discourage abuse.

  • Mr Major’s Written Question on the Welsh Development Agency – 11 November 1980

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on the Welsh Development Agency, published on 11th November 1980.

    Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has yet been able to evaluate the pilot loan guarantee scheme implemented by the Welsh Development Agency; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. David Mitchell The evaluation of this scheme is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, but in considering the option of a national loan guarantee scheme for small businesses we shall wish to study the results of the Welsh Development Agency’s experience with this measure.

  • Mr Major’s Written Question on Drugs (Cost) – 11 November 1980

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Drugs (Cost), published on 11th November 1980.

    Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the cost of drugs to the National Health Service for each of the last three years; and whether he considers that significant economies can be obtained by more responsible prescription.

    Mr. Patrick Jenkin The cost of drugs, exclusive of fees and allowances paid to chemists and dispensing doctors, in the National Health Service in England for each of the last three years was:

    Year ended | Million

    31 March 1978 | £565

    1979 | £673

    1980 | £781 (Provisional)

    This includes the hospital and community health drug costs.

    My Department takes a number of measures aimed at securing effectiveness and economy in prescribing. Among the more important are:

    (a) the provision of information to interested doctors enabling them to study their own pattern of prescribing;

    (b) the making available, free of charge, of independently produced publications on drugs and therapeutics;

    (c) the provision of comparison charts which indicate the differences in cost between related drugs; and in support of these

    (d) advice through the Regional Medical Service.

    I have recently announced the establishment of an informal working group consisting of officials of my Department and members of the medical profession in order to identify further ways of encouraging effective prescribing.

  • Mr Major’s Written Question on National Insurance – 10 November 1980

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on National Insurance, published on 10th November 1980.

    Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the result of the Rayner scrutiny on the validation of national insurance contribution records.

    Mrs. Chalker This scrutiny, which began on 13 October, is currently being carried out by a team of three officials from the Department. It is expected to last between three and four-and-a-half months, with a draft report submitted to Sir Derek Rayner in the new year. I have placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament copies of the study plan which the team have prepared as a basis for their scrutiny.

  • Mr Major’s Written Question on Cambridgeshire (Parliamentary Constituencies) – 8 August 1980

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Cambridgeshire (Parliamentary Constituencies), published on 8th August 1980.

    Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Parliamentary Boundary Commission to report its recommendations for the county of Cambridgeshire.

    Mr. Brittan I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to his question on 25 March. – [Vol. 981, c. 522.]

  • Mr Major’s Written Question on Common Land – 15 July 1980

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Common Land, published on 15th July 1980.

    Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to introduce further legislation to give effect to the Royal Commission on common land.

    Mr. Heseltine My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I recognise the desirability of further legislation to clarify the position in relation to the public’s right of access to common land and to make it easier to secure the better management of such land, but this is a complex subject and the preparation of legislation would make heavy demands on staff resources which are not currently available. We have therefore decided not to propose any legislation on this matter for at least the next two years.

  • Mr Major’s Written Question on Local Authority Expenditure – 2 July 1980

    The text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Local Authority Expenditure, published on 2nd July 1980.

    Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further consultation he is having with the local authority associations on overspending by local authorities.

    Mr. Heseltine I have no meetings planned before 31 July the date due for the submission of revised budgets for local authority expenditure for 1980-81, but I hold regular meetings with local authorities in the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance.

  • Mr Major’s Written Question on Land Registers – 5 June 1980

    The text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Land Registers, published on 5th June 1980.

    Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to name the local authorities which will be required to publish land registers.

    Mr. Heseltine I have selected the following districts for the first land registers to be established under the powers being sought in part X of the Local Government, Planning and Land (No. 2) Bill:

    Liverpool
    Wirral
    Sefton
    Manchester
    Trafford
    Preston
    Salford
    Stockport
    Newcastle
    Gateshead
    Middlesbrough
    Birmingham
    Dudley
    Stoke
    Newcastle-under-Lyme
    Coventry
    Leeds
    Bradford
    Bristol
    Ealing
    Wandsworth

  • Mr Major’s Written Question on the British Railways Board – 22 May 1980

    The text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on the British Railways Board, published on 22nd May 1980.

    Mr. Major Asked the Minister of Transport whether there is a procedure to involve his Department in the planning arrangements of the British Railways Board.

    Mr. Fowler The British Railways Board prepares a corporate review each year and submits it to me. The review helps it in its business decisions. It helps me to judge the effects of decisions I have to make, as on investment, financial targets, or support. While the review is and must remain that of the board, it will help very much if my Department and where appropriate the Treasury, can be kept in touch with its preparation and have the opportunity to comment. This must, of course, respect the position of the board as well as of Ministers, and must rest on a high degree of mutual confidence. I am glad to say that discussions with the board have now made clear how my Department and the Treasury are to be involved in the board’s planning arrangements. My officials will now start to receive papers of the 1980 review, on which the board has been engaged for some time. The board will in due course submit its completed review to me.

  • Mr Major’s Written Question on the British Sugar Corporation – 19 May 1980

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on the British Sugar Corporation, published on 19th May 1980.

    Mr. Major Asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations took place between his Department and S. and W. Birsford Ltd. concerning that company’s bid to acquire the share capital of the British Sugar Corporation Ltd.

    Mr. Biffen None.