The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: Chief Secretary (1987-1989)

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Civil Service (Value for Money) – 14 June 1988

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Civil Service (Value for Money) on 14th June 1988.

    Dr. Marek To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition of value for money is applied within the Civil Service; and whether there are any tests or procedures for its evaluation.

    Mr. Major [holding answer 13 June 1988] The recent guide to policy evaluation which was published on 12 April 1988 and a copy of which was placed in the Library described value for money as “Ultimately the final social and economic benefit of a policy in relation to the cost”. Sometimes used as shorthand for the optimum combination of economy, effectiveness and efficiency.

    Given the variety of activities with which the Civil Service is concerned and the difficulties in a number of areas of valuing final output, there is no single test or procedure for evaluating value for money. But such tests would include the extent to which the effectiveness of the programme has been enhanced without additional resources or, alternatively, the extent to which effectiveness has been maintained with fewer resources through increased efficiency and improved economy. Volume I of the last public expenditure White Paper included a broad description of the measures being taken to improve value for money. Examples of value for money are given in the programme chapters in volume II.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Nationalised Industries – 13 June 1988

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Nationalised Industries on 13th June 1988.

    Mr. Gordon Brown To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the percentage increase in fares, prices and tariffs required for the British Railways Board, Electricity England and Wales, London Regional Transport, North of Scotland Hydro-Electricity board, Post Office, South of Scotland Electricity Board and Water England and Wales to meet the expenditure on fixed assets given for 1990–91 in table 4.4 of Cm. 288-I, assuming these industries financed all this investment internally from commercially generated funds.

    Mr. Major [holding answer 10 June 1988] Hypothetical projections on the lines requested would not justify the costs involved in preparing them. Assumptions would need to be made concerning general market conditions, the responsiveness of revenues to price changes and a wide range of factors affecting cost performance such as wage settlements, fuel costs and productivity growth. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, the Government do not publish estimates of internal resources for the later years covered by the public expenditure plans, the assumptions on which they are based, or the effects of varying those assumptions.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Government Expenditure – 13 June 1988

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Government Expenditure on 13th June 1988.

    Mr. Gordon Brown To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a figure for general Government expenditure in 1988–89 equivalent to that in table 1.4 of Cm. 288–1, recalculated on the assumption that there is a sustained (a) 10 per cent. rise and (b) 10 per cent. fall in the trade-weighted exchange rate over a period of one year from the level used in the formulation of the above table.

    Mr. Major The impact of exchange rate changes on the economy would depend on assumptions made about the financial policies being followed at the time. The impact of the subsequent economic effects on public expenditure cannot be determined uniquely either as this depends on the control regime being operated. A large part of the planning total is subject to cash limits where the presumption is that no adjustments are made for variations in prices or costs. Furthermore, the rates of social security benefits are determined in relation to price levels known before the start of the financial year. There is no unique relationship between changes in the exchange rate and debt interest.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the National Health Service – 10 June 1988

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the National Health Service on 10th June 1988.

    Mr. Harry Cohen To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the employment effect of (a) reducing the income tax take from higher-rate payers by £2 billion in a full year, (b) reducing the income tax take for standard rate payers by £2 billion in a full year and (c) increasing by £2 billion the resources of the National Health Service.

    Mr. Major It has not been the practice to publish estimates of the economic effects of changes in taxation or public expenditure.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on House Prices – 10 June 1988

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on House Prices on 10th June 1988.

    Mr. Gordon Brown To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the assumption on the rise in house prices in 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 built into the figures given for receipts from sales of housing in table 3.6 Cm. 288–1.

    Mr. Major It is not Government practice to publish assumptions which may be market sensitive.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Merseyside – 8 June 1988

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Merseyside on 8th June 1988.

    Mr. John Evans To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans his Department has to assist the economic development of Merseyside.

    Mr. Major The Government’s economic policies, continued in my right hon. Friend’s latest Budget, promote an environment for business to prosper and provide strong encouragement to economic development in all areas of the United Kingdom. Over the last year the north-west has seen one of the largest falls in unemployment in the United Kingdom.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Regions (Economic Development) – 8 June 1988

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Regions (Economic Development) on 8th June 1988.

    Mr. Tony Lloyd To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the differential impact of Government policy on economic development in the regions.

    Mr. Major The best way to encourage economic development in the regions is through sound economic policies, designed to promote healthy, non-inflationary growth in the national economy, backed up by an effective regional policy. These are the policies the Government are pursuing.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Manufactures (World Trade) – 8 June 1988

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Manufactures (World Trade) on 8th June 1988.

    Mr. David Nicholson To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current United Kingdom volume share of world trade in manufactures.

    Mr. Major In 1987 the estimated United Kingdom volume share of total world trade in manufactures was about 7.5 per cent. As chart 3.5 in the FSBR shows this share has been broadly stable since 1981, after previous decades of decline.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Labour Markets (Regions) – 8 June 1988

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Labour Markets (Regions) on 8th June 1988.

    Mr. Oppenheim To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the labour markets in the regions of recent economic trends.

    Mr. Major The recent favourable performance of the United Kingdom economy has benefited the labour market in all regions. Unemployment has fallen significantly in all regions over the past year.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Business Investment – 7 June 1988

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Business Investment on 7th June 1988.

    Mr. David Shaw To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for business investment in 1988.

    Mr. Major Business investment is forecast to grow by 9 per cent. in 1988, as shown in chapter 3 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report.