The text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Housing Revenue Accounts, published on 2nd April 1980.
Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet formulated his proposals for the use of credit balances on housing revenue accounts.
Mr. Stanley I am issuing a consultation proposal on this subject to the local authority associations, a copy of which I have placed in the Library of the House today.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Apples, published on 1st April 1980.
Mr. Major asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many allegations of unfair competition he has received concerning the subsidy of Golden Delicious apples and their import into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement detailing the result of any investigations he has ordered into this matter.
Mr. Wiggin Some 50 written allegations have been received of unfair competition concerning various national aids given on Golden Delicious apples which have been imported into the United Kingdom from France. These have been looked into, but I have no evidence that French growers are acting other than commercially and in accordance with Community rules.
Mr. Major Asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is able to specify in detail the nature and value of subsidies and grants available to apple growers in Great Britain and France, respectively; and whether he is satisfied that these lead to fair competition between growers in those countries.
Mr. Wiggin For Great Britain the principal assistance to apple growers is through the grants on capital expenditure such as orchard grubbing, buildings, land improvements and equipment available to individual businesses under the horticulture capital grant scheme, the farm capital grant scheme and the farm and horticulture development scheme. Assistance to co-
Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on the Docklands Land Board, published on 28th March 1980.
Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take about the Docklands Land Board, in view of the proposal to repeal the Community Land Act.
Mr. King With the agreement of the Greater London Council and all the London boroughs concerned, my right hon. Friend has made an order dissolving the Docklands Land Board with effect from 1 April 1980. The board’s responsibilities, assets and liabilities are being transferred to constituent authorities.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on the Housing Investment Programmes, published on 26th March 1980.
Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total and percentage underspend under the housing investment programme allocations in each financial year between 1975-
Mr. Stanley The information is as follows. Figures are shown at outturn prices for the year in question.
1975-
1976-
1977-
1978-
Allocations for 1975-
Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Cambridgeshire (Parliamentary Constituencies), published on 25th March 1980.
Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the recommendations of the Boundary Commission for parliamentary constituencies within the county of Cambridge.
Mr. Brittan I understand that the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England is likely to have completed its task of reviewing all the parliamentary constituencies, including those in Cambridgeshire, by early 1982.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Cambridgeshire (Boundary Commission Review), published on 25th March 1980.
Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Local Government Boundary Commission to complete its review of the county of Cambridge; and whether this date will enable its recommendations to be implemented prior to the 1981 county elections.
Mr. Whitelaw The Local Government Boundary Commission for England cannot begin its electoral review of the county of Cambridgeshire until orders have been made providing new electoral arrangements for every district in the county. As the Commission has not yet submitted to me its report proposing new electoral arrangements for the district of East Cambridgeshire, I cannot say when the order implementing the Commission’s proposals for that district, with or without modifications, will be made or whether the Commission’s review of the county will have been completed in time for its recommendations to be implemented for the 1981 elections.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Commons question regarding capital punishment, made on 19th March 1980.
Mr. Major asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of the money supply as measured by M1 and M3 definitions, respectively, and of the rate of inflation as measured by the retail price index for each separate year from 1970 to 1979.
Mr. Lawson I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Commons question regarding Consumers and Traders, made on 3rd March 1980.
Mr. Major asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will consider consolidating some or all of the statutory rights and obligations of consumers and traders, in the interests of greater coherence and convenience.
Mr. Eyre We shall continue to consolidate legislation affecting consumers and traders whenever this is appropriate.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s interventions during the Local Government Expenditure debate held on 27th February 1980.
Mr. Major asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of local government revenue expenditure was accounted for by staff wages and salaries as at (a) the financial year 1973–74 and (b) the latest date for which information is available.
Mr. Heseltine In 1973–74 wage and salary costs accounted for just over 50 per cent. of gross local government revenue expenditure of 71 per cent. of gross current expenditure. In 1978–79, the figures were 51 per cent. and 69 per cent. respectively.
Mr. Major I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that reply. Does he agree that it indicates an imperative need to continue to restrain staff levels and levels of wage settlements in local government? Will he urge on local authorities, wherever possible, a policy of retrenchment in staffing levels to ensure that the money available is used for services rather than excessive staffing?
Mr. Heseltine I am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing these important points to the attention of the House. I have asked local authorities to constrain manpower recruitment wherever possible. I am absolutely sure that, in the present climate of public expenditure, the more that the available resources can be used to provide services rather than increase the number of employees the better.
Mr. Ian Lloyd May I endorse the plea made by my hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdonshire (Mr. Major)? Is my right hon. Friend aware that in my local authority the increase in the wage and salary component last year was 39 per cent.? If that is 39 per cent. of 70 per cent., how can it possibly be said that local councillors are effectively in control of finances in their authority?
Mr. Heseltine The present levels of rate fixing indicate that there are considerable numbers of Conservative authorities that are very much in control and therefore able to effect considerable constraint in the rate levels. It must be a matter for the individual judgment and accountability of the local authority and its councillors in each area.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Members (Pay and Allowances), published on 22nd February 1980.
Mr. Major Asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, pursuant to his answer of 23 November to the hon. Member for Huntingdonshire, he can yet indicate when the report of the Top Salaries Review Body on the secretarial allowance to hon. Members is expected to be available.
Mr. St. John-