The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Tag: 1989

  • Mr Major’s Comments on Labour’s Policy Review – 10 August 1989

    Below is the text of the press release, 110/89, issued by Conservative Central Office on Thursday 10 August 1989 and entitled “Labour Still Unfit to Govern – Policy Review is a Colossal Deception”. The speech was made by Mr Major at Huntingdon to party workers at 17:00 on Thursday 10 August 1989.

    FOREIGN SECRETARY:

    Labour are no more fit to govern now than they were one year ago.

    Neither their much-touted policy review nor their European Manifesto have revealed any new understanding of how to make Britain’s voice count in the world, or how to advance Britain’s interests.

    That’s bad news not only for Britain, but for the whole international community. Because Britain now takes a leading role on a whole range of key international issues such as arms control, human rights, the nurturing of democracy, the resolution of regional conflicts, and the protection of our natural environment. In all these areas, Britain has helped to set the pace – thanks to ten years of Conservative Government. And Labour are as baffled by that success as ever.

    First of all, Labour haven’t yet grasped how much of Britain’s new political capital has been built upon economic success. Their policy review shows that they are more than ready to jeopardise that success for the sake of socialist ideology – albeit dressed up in the language of realism and efficiency. Labour would reverse the whole thrust of the Government’s economic strategy which has propelled us to the top of the growth league of major European economies. That would be folly.

    It’s high time some of the myths of Labour’s so-called new ‘realism’ were nailed once and for all.

    There’s nothing realistic about a jobs strategy which would force industry to pay a national minimum wage – and cost thousands of jobs in the process.

    There’s nothing far-sighted about subjecting industry to a whole panoply of controls, commissions and boards dusted down from the 1960s. There’s nothing pragmatic about restoring union immunities, bringing back secondary picketing, and ending the right to a pre-strike ballot – the very state of affairs that brought the country to its knees before, and would do so again.

    And there’s nothing modern about taking privatised industries back under state control – just when the rest of the world is consigning nationalisation to the dustbin.

    Under the Conservatives, we’ve seen Britain leading the world by example. We have shown how competition, incentives and privatisation can create jobs by the thousand and boost standards of living for everyone. Other countries – of every political complexion – now wish to do the same – from Turkey to Cuba, from China to Togo. They all want to learn from our experience.

    It’s the prestige we have earned which is giving Britain real clout in the world once again. Labour’s policies would turn us into an economic laughing-stock, and usher us backstage all over again. And as their disastrous policies take their toll, Labour would fall back on the usual socialist prescription: import controls, capital controls, and Fortress Britain consigned to unsplendid isolation. In no time at all, Britain would be paying the inflationary price of Labour’s Mark 2 socialism. The world would be the poorer for it. And so would Britain.

    Of course, Labour would like Britain’s voice to be heard.

    But it wouldn’t be as a key player in arms control negotiations between East and West – because they’d rather opt out altogether.

    It wouldn’t be in all the key economic fora, pressing for multilateral disarmament in trade as well as weapons.

    It wouldn’t be at the United Nations, working to bring peace in the major conflicts which blight our world.

    And it wouldn’t be heard in the Community, urging our partners to meet the 1992 deadline for a free and open People’s Europe.

    No. Labour would much rather see Britain posturing shrilly from the sidelines. But posturing is not substitute for a policy. Nowhere is that more true than in defence – the first responsibility of any Government. And it’s in defence that Labour’s policy review has most conspicuously failed the test.

    By abandoning the policy of flexible response – the strategy which has kept Europe at peace – Labour would critically undermine the unity of the NATO alliance.

    By opposing the modernisation of NATO’s short-range nuclear weapons – in spite of the fact that the Warsaw Pact have modernised 95 per cent of theirs – Labour would leave NATO with a deterrent which was neither credible nor effective.

    And by seeking the eventual removal of all short-range nuclear weapons, Labour would jeopardise the safety of our troops in West Germany.

    Most fatally of all, Labour’s policy review makes it clear that its eventual objective is the elimination of Britain’s own nuclear capability. So the abolition of the British deterrent remains unequivocally on Labour’s agenda. The question is not whether we should disarm but when.
    Labour’s policy review has barely begun to come to terms with the real world. It is a public relations exercise. It would be greeted with total dismay by our European partners, and would seriously undermine our objective of getting Europe to speak and act as one on all the most crucial international issues.

    It would be the most colossal deception of the British people.

    And it’s the most telling evidence yet that Labour are still unfit to govern.

  • Mr Major’s Comments on Murder of Colonel William Higgins – 31 July 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s comments following on the murder of Colonel William Higgins, made on 31st July 1989.

    QUESTION:

    [Mr Major was asked about the report that a pro-Iranian group had killed Colonel William Higgins]

    FOREIGN SECRETARY:

    I think it’s an extremely sad day if it’s true, this sort of violence begets further violence and that has been one of the problems in the Middle East for many years.

  • Mr Major’s Comments Following his Meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister – 30 July 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s comments following his meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister, made in Paris on 30th July 1989.

    FOREIGN SECRETARY:

    The Chinese Foreign Minister is in no doubt about our concerns, no doubt about the need to restore confidence in Hong Kong and discussions with the Joint Liaison Group will continue in September and at a later stage this year.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Hong Kong – 26 July 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Hong Kong on 26th July 1989.

    Mr. Hayes To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will announce a scheme of assurances to encourage Hong Kong people to remain in the territory.

    Mr. Major The Government are continuing their urgent work on the scheme and an announcement will be made as soon as this work is completed.

  • Mr Major’s Comments on the Foreign Office – 25 July 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s comments on the challenges of the Foreign Office after taking over as Foreign Secretary. The comments were made on 25th July 1989.

    [Mr Major was asked what were the challenges ahead at the Foreign Office?]

    There’s a great deal to be done in many areas of policy and tremendous opportunities to be taken as well in terms of East-West relationships where the field is changing very rapidly and I think the opportunities are tremendous and certainly in terms of Europe after the Single European Act, we’re in Europe, I’ll like to see us take a lead in Europe.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Small Businesses – 24 July 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Small Businesses on 24th July 1989.

    Mr. David Shaw To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the achievements of his Department and his policies in helping small businesses over the last 12 months compared with the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

    Mr. Major The Government’s economic policies are designed to maintain a vigorous economy in which business and enterprise can flourish. Over the last 12 months we have continued our commitment to this goal. Among the specific measures helpful to small businesses introduced in the last Budget were for the small companies’ lower corporation tax rate of 25 per cent. profit limit raised by 50 per cent. to £150,000 and the limit for receiving transitional relief raised to £750,000; simplification of pensions rules and substantial increases in personal pension contribution limits; improved tax reliefs designed to encourage employee participation in PRP and employee share schemes (including ESOPS); abolition of close company apportionment rules; introduction of the receipts basis of schedule E (a simpler system for the assessment of earnings). extended relief for pre-trading expenditure; VAT registration threshold raised broadly in line with inflation; CGT gifts relief retained for business assets.

    We are continually looking at ways of reducing the burdens on small businesses. In addition to the continuous review of forms, explanatory notices and leaflets with the aim of providing guidance which can be easily understood, the following changes have been achieved in the last 12 months: The completion of the computerisation of PAYE and extension throughout the country of computerisation of the tax affairs of the self-employed. From 1 July 1989 the scope of the Community carnet was extended. Development work has taken place for the introduction on 1 August 1989 of two fast lane systems which will speed up the clearance of certain EC imports. Development work is proceeding on a new computerised system for the handling of import export freight which will speed up the clearance of goods. We have also carried out thorough examinations of:

    The VAT cash accounting scheme;
    Default surcharge;
    VAT bad debt relief;
    Export data capture;
    VAT second hand schemes; and
    PAYE communications between employers and the Inland Revenue

    The results of these reviews are under consideration.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Engagements – 24 July 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Engagements on 24th July 1989.

    Mr. Siliars To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his engagements when he expects to make a major speech on the economy.

    Mr. Major My right hon. Friend will be speaking on a number of occasions over the next few months, including the IMF/IBRD meetings in Washington (26–28 September), the Conservative Party conference (10–13 October) and at the Mansion house (19 October).

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Balance of Trade – 20 July 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Balance of Trade on 20th July 1989.

    Mr. Allen To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he has made an estimate of the balance of trade with Germany in 1992;
    (2) if he has made an estimate of the United Kingdom’s balance of trade with the European Community in 1992.

    Mr. Major I have been asked to reply.

    No.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Manufacturing Investment – 20 July 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Manufacturing Investment on 20th July 1989.

    Mr. Allen To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the amount of net manufacturing investment in new buildings, machinery and plant in the period 1980 to 1988; and what was the comparable figure for 1971 to 1979.

    Mr. Major I have been asked to reply.

    The latest estimates of net domestic fixed capital formation by manufactured industry for 1977–87 appear in the 1988 edition of the Central Statistical Office publication “United Kingdom National Accounts”, table 13.5. Estimates for earlier years may be obtained from the CSO Databank, a collection of macroeconomic time series in computer readable form to which the House of Commons Library has direct access. Estimates for 1988 are not yet available. Separate estimates of net investment in new buildings and works, and plant and machinery are not of publishable quality.

    The published figures do not include capital goods leased from financial sector lessors. Furthermore, there are difficulties in measuring net domestic fixed capital formation since the national accounts estimates of the economic lives of fixed assets, used to estimate capital consumption, are very broad brush.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Fixed Investments – 20 July 1989

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Fixed Investments on 20th July 1989.

    Mr. Allen To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in 1988 of fixed investments expressed as a percentage of total fixed investments.

    Mr. Major Total gross domestic fixed capital formation is estimated to have increased in volume by 12 per cent. between 1987 and 1988. In current prices, the increase was 18 per cent.