The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: Chief Secretary (1987-1989)

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on North Sea Oil – 8 June 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on North Sea Oil on 8th June 1989.

    Mr. Flannery To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount of money received by the Exchequer from North sea oil since May 1979.

    Mr. Major Total tax revenues and royalties to United Kingdom oil and gas production over the fiscal years 1979–80 to 1988–89 are estimated at £65.2 billion. Receipts from the gas levy over the same period amounted to a further £3.8 billion. Further details are contained in the report by the Secretary of State for Energy to Parliament of April 1989 (the Brown Book).

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Government Expenditure – 8 June 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Government Expenditure on 8th June 1989.

    Mr. David Evans To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of central Government expenditure in 1988–89 expressed as a percentage of money gross domestic product; and what were the comparable figures for the previous five years.

    Mr. Major The latest available information on the percentage of money GDP at market prices accounted for by central Government expenditure is given in the table. The central Government figures on which the percentages are based exclude privatisation proceeds and grants to local authorities but include debt interest payments.

    Year | Per cent.
    1983–84 34.00
    1984–85 34.50
    1985–86 33.50
    1986–87 33.00
    1987–88 31.25

    (1) 1988–89 2900
    (1) April-December only.

    Mr. David Davis To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in general Government expenditure as a share of gross domestic product since 1982–83.

    Mr. Jacques Arnold To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in general Government expenditure as a share of gross domestic product since 1982–83.

    Mr. Redwood To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in general Government expenditure as a share 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 46.25 per cent.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Business Start-Ups – 8 June 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Business Start-Ups on 8th June 1989.

    Mr. Burt To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of business start-ups in 1988–89.

    Dr. Twinn To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of business start-ups in 1988–89.

    Dr. Goodson-Wickes To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of business start-ups in 1988–89.

    Mr. Major In the calendar year 1987, the latest 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, an average of nearly 900 a week. Indications are that the rate of increase since 1987 has been even faster, and may have amounted to over 1,300 per week. The figures for 1988 will be available later in the summer.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Interest Rates – 8 June 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Interest Rates on 8th June 1989.

    Mr. Cryer To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of current level of interest rates on the development of manufacturing industry.

    Mr. Major Manufacturing investment reached a record level in 1988 and the outlook is for continued strong growth.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Foreign Investment – 8 June 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Foreign Investment on 8th June 1989.

    Mr. Battle To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the net flow of foreign direct and portfolio investment into the United Kingdom in 1988.

    Mr. Major Direct and portfolio investment in the United Kingdom by overseas residents (net of disinvestment) is provisionally estimated at £11.2 billion in 1988.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Manufacturing Investment – 8 June 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Manufacturing Investment on 8th June 1989.

    Mr. Mills To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest official projection for the growth of manufacturing investment in 1989.

    Mr. Major I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Arbuthnot).

    Mr. Hoyle To ask the Exchequer what was the level of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom in 1979 and 1988.

    Mr. Lewis To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom in 1979 and 1988.

    Mr. Loyden To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom in 1979 and 1988.

    Mr. Major The level of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom in 1985 prices was £11,157 million in 1979 and £11,586 million in 1988.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Balance of Payments – 8 June 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Balance of Payments on 8th June 1989.

    Mr. Wall To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will forecast the balance of payments in each year until 1992.

    Ms. Abbott To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will forecast the balance of payments in each year until 1992.

    Mr. O’Brien To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will forecast the balance of payments in each year until 1992.

    Mrs. Mahon To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will forecast the balance of payments in each year until 1992.

    Mr. Major The Financial Statement and Budget Report for 1989–90 provides a forecast for the current account of the balance of payments for 1989 and the first half of 1990. Forecasts for later years are not published.

    Mr. Win Griffiths To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the balance of payments for the first quarter of 1989.

    Mr. Flynn To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the balance of payments for the first quarter of 1989.

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

    Mr. Gareth Wardell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the United Kingdom balance of payments for 1989.

    Dr. Kim Howells To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the United Kingdom balance of payments for 1989.

    Mr. Rogers To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the United Kingdom balance of payments for 1989.

    Mr. Major I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 6 June.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Manufacturing Output – 8 June 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Manufacturing Output on 8th June 1989.

    Mrs. Peacock To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the annual rate of growth of manufacturing output over the last two years.

    Mr. William Powell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the annual rate of growth of manufacturing output over the last two years.

    Mr. Major In the two years to the first quarter of this year, manufacturing output grew at an average annual rate of 7.1 per cent.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Labour Statistics – 8 June 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Labour Statistics on 8th June 1989.

    Mr. Couchman To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much employment in the United Kingdom has risen since 1983.

    Mr. Charles Wardle To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much employment in the United Kingdom has risen since 1983.

    Mr. Summerson To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much employment in the United Kingdom has risen since 1983.

    Mr. Cash To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much employment in the United Kingdom has risen since 1983.

    Mr. Major Total employment in the United Kingdom has increased by 2,951,000 since March 1983.

    Mr. Stevens To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are now registered as self-employed; and what was the comparable figure in 1979.

    Mr. Andrew Mitchell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are now registered as self-employed; and what was the comparable figure in 1979.

    Mr. Major In December 1988 3,048,000 people were self-employed in the United Kingdom compared with 1,906,000 in June 1979, an increase of 60 per cent.

    Mr. Thorne To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many months adult unemployment has fallen continuously in the United Kingdom.

    Mr. Major Unemployment in the United Kingdom has fallen for 33 months in succession.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Public Debt – 8 June 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Public Debt on 8th June 1989.

    Mr. Allan Stewart To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the proportion of the public debt which will have been repaid in the three years to 1989–90.

    Mr. Neil Hamilton To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the proportion of the public debt which will have been repaid in the three years to 1989–90.

    Mr. Ian Taylor To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the proportion of the public debt which will have been repaid in the three years to 1989–90.

    Mr. Major It is estimated that roughly one sixth of net public sector debt will have been repaid in the three years to 1989–90.