Category: Chief Secretary (1987-1989)

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Manufactured Goods and Services on 10th March 1988.

Ms. Armstrong To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has a revised figure for the anticipated balance of trade in (a) manufactured goods and (b) services for the United Kingdom for the current year; and what was the figure for 1979.

Mr. Major My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be making a new forecast for the current year at Budget time. In 1979 the balance of trade in manufactured goods showed a surplus of £2,698 million and services a surplus of £3,815 million.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Confederation of British Industry on 10th March 1988.

Mr. Murphy To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the director general of the Confederation of British Industry; and what was discussed.

Mr. Mullin To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the director general of the Confederation of British Industry; and what matters were discussed.

Mrs. Fyfe To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the director general of the Confederation of British Industry; and what was discussed.

Mr. Major My right hon. Friend last met the director general of the Confederation of British Industry at the meeting of the National Economic Development Council on Wednesday 13 January. The council discussed the outlook for the economy; a report on the knitting industry; and international competitiveness, research and development.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on North Sea Oil on 10th March 1988.

Mr. Doran To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of North sea oil revenue from all sources for each year up to 1991.

Mr. Worthington To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of North sea oil revenue from all sources for each year up to 1991.

Mr. Major My right hon. Friend the Chancellor will be publishing revised projections at the time of the Budget.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Economic Policy on 10th March 1988.

Mr. Blunkett To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he uses in deciding the relative priority to be accorded to (a) cutting income tax rates; (b) increasing expenditure on overseas aid to the level of the United Kingdom commitment to 0.7 per cent. of gross national product.

Mr. Major The latest plans show increased provision for the overseas aid programme, which is now projected to grow by 3 per cent. in real terms between 1986–87 and 1990–91.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Manufacturing (Fiscal Incentives) on 10th March 1988.

Mr. Strang To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the operation of the current system of fiscal incentives for investment in manufacturing industry.

Mr. Major The current fiscal regime has created a climate which encouraged an increase of 3.5 per cent. in manufacturing investment in 1987, and manufacturing investment is projected to grow by 11 per cent. in 1988 in the Department of Trade and Industry’s latest investment intentions survey.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Inward Investment on 10th March 1988.

Mr. Jack To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the sources, level and economic effect of inward investment during the current financial year.

Mr. Major In the second and third quarters of 1987 – the latest period for which information is available – international confidence in the United Kingdom economy led to inward direct and portfolio investment of £9.5 billion. Information on the geographical sources of recent capital inflows is not available.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Confederation of British Industry on 10th March 1988.

Mr. John Greenway To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next intends to meet the director general of the Confederation of British Industry; and what matters he proposes to discuss.

Mr. Major My right hon. Friend meets the director general of the CBI from time to time, and a wide range of subjects are discussed. He has no specific plans to meet him in the foreseeable future.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Profits on 10th March 1988.

Dr. Twinn To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the level of industrial and commercial profitability.

Mr. Major I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley (Mr. Waller).

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Self-Employment on 10th March 1988.

Miss Widdecombe To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in self-employment in the British economy since 1979.

Mr. Major I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Feltham and Heston (Mr. Ground).

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Manufacturing Industry (Investment) on 10th March 1988.

Mr. Nellist To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of investment in British manufacturing industry; and what it was in real terms in 1979.

Mr. Major The provisional estimate of capital expenditure in manufacturing at 1980 prices was £7,389 million in 1987 compared to £8,229 million in 1979.