The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Tag: Libya

  • PMQT Written Answers – 5 June 1992

    Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister’s Question Time from 5th June 1992.

    PRIME MINISTER:

     

    Nuclear Test Veterans

    Mr. McMaster : To ask the Prime Minister if he has any plans to further consider awarding compensation to veterans of British nuclear tests and, or their families; and if he will make a statement.

    The Prime Minister : The Government will consider sympathetically a claim for compensation on behalf of any ex-service man who can be shown to have suffered ill health from exposure to ionising radiation as a result of duties in connection with the nuclear test programme. An expert study conducted in 1988 by the National Radiological Protection Board conceded that the overall incidence of death and malignant disease among British nuclear test veterans has been no worse than for people who were not involved in the tests. A further report from the NRPB on more recent data on mortality and cancer evidence is expected later this year.

     

    Libya

    Sir Teddy Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister when he received the proposals from the United Nations for a meeting between representatives of the United Kingdom and Libyan Governments to discuss security issues relating to the supply of arms to the Provisional IRA; what will be the areas of discussion at the meeting on 9 June; and if he will explain the manner in which these arrangements were made public.

    The Prime Minister : The United Nations Secretary-General told us on 14 May that the Libyan Foreign Minister had written to him offering to meet our long-standing request for information on Libya’s connections with the Provisional IRA. We have agreed to a meeting under UN auspices in Geneva on 9 June at which this information can be handed over. There will be no discussion at the meeting. In response to press inquiries, the Secretary-General’s spokesman in New York confirmed on 1 June that this meeting would take place.

     

    Council of Ministers

    Mr. Spearing : To ask the Prime Minister if he will take steps to ensure that the outcome of meetings of the Council of Ministers of the European Communities held between 13 March and 6 May are reported in the usual way, in cases where such action has not yet been taken.

    The Prime Minister : I have asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to write to the hon. Member and to place a copy of his letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

     

    Lockerbie Bombing

    Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister what communications Her Majesty’s Government have received from the Government of Libya relating to two persons allegedly connected with the Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am 103.

    The Prime Minister : We have had various approaches from Libyans and intermediaries over the Lockerbie bombing. None of these amounts to Libyan compliance with UN Security Council resolutions 731 and 748.

     

    Sustainable Development

    Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to establish a sustainable development commission in the United Kingdom in conjunction with the United Nations.

    The Prime Minister : I have no such plans.

     

    President Bush

    Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet President Bush; and what matters he proposes to discuss.

    The Prime Minister : I shall meet President Bush at Camp David this weekend. I expect to discuss a wide range of subjects with him.

     

    Earth Summit

    Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister what proposals on transfers of military spending to environmental investment will be put forward by the United Kingdom at the United Nations conference on environment and development.

    The Prime Minister : There are no plans to put forward any such proposal.

    Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister what attempts have been made to minimise the use of official cars by the United Kingdom delegation to the United Nations conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro this month.

    The Prime Minister : We have made it a priority to limit the use of official cars at the Earth summit in Rio.

    Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out details of the critical representations made to Her Majesty’s Government since 31 May on the United Kingdom’s policies and proposals for the United Nations conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro; and what response he has made to the respective criticisms.

    The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Ceredigion and Pembroke, North (Mr. Dafis) on 2 June 1992 at column 392.

  • PMQT Written Answers – 9 March 1992

    Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister’s Question Time from 9th March 1992.

    PRIME MINISTER:

     

    Women’s Issues

    Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to alter the present departmental structure for consideration of women’s issues.

    The Prime Minister : I am currently examining existing departmental responsibilities for women’s issues.

     

    Value Added Tax

    Dr. Marek : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy not to widen the scope of VAT by introducing a positive rate on those items that are presently zero-rated.

    The Prime Minister : The Government have no plans to extend the scope of VAT to any items which are currently zero-rated, and no need to do so.

     

    Nuclear Non-proliferation

    Mr. Cryer : To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to meet with non-governmental organisations which specialise in non-proliferation issues to discuss the outcome of the special session of the United Nations Security Council decisions on nuclear non-proliferation agreed in New York on 31 January.

    The Prime Minister : I have no specific plans to do so. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is in close touch with non-governmental organisations in this field.

    Mr. Cryer : To ask the Prime Minister whether the library at 10 Downing street contains a copy of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

    The Prime Minister : Yes.

    Mr. Cryer : To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the main points of the agreed United Nations Security Council special session policy to control nuclear proliferation held in New York on 31 January; indicating what plans he has to publicise the strategy agreed on nuclear non-proliferation.

    The Prime Minister : The agreed conclusions of the high-level meeting of the Security Council on 31 January are set out in the statement which I made at the time on behalf of all members of the Security Council, and on which I reported to the House on 3 February at columns 21-35. The statement has been published as Security Council document S/23500, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

     

    Scotland

    Mr. Raffan : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions on which he has officially visited Scotland since he assumed his present office, and the engagements he undertook during those visits.

    The Prime Minister : I have made five official visits to Scotland, when I undertook a number of different engagements.

     

    Wales

    Mr. Raffan : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions on which he has officially visited Wales since he assumed his present office, and the engagements he has undertaken during those visits.

    The Prime Minister : I have made one official visit to Wales, when I undertook a number of different engagements.

     

    National Health Service Improvements

    Mr. McCartney : To ask the Prime Minister how many letters he has received in the past six months seeking improvements in the national health service.

    The Prime Minister [holding answer 6 March 1992] : I have received many representations on the national health service. The Government have increased the resources available to the National Health Service with the result that National Health Service spending has risen by 55 per cent. in real terms under this Government and next year National Health Service spending in England will rise to £618 per person, compared with £409 per head–1992-93 prices–in 1979.

    The Government’s reforms are beginning to deliver improved health care. In 1991-92, the first year of our reforms, the National Health Service is forecast to treat 5.6 per cent. more in-patients and 4.3 per cent. more out-patients than last year.

     

    Libya

    Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister what assessment Her Majesty’s Government have made of the visit to Libya by Vasily Safranchuk, the United Nations envoy.

    The Prime Minister [holding answer 25 February 1992] : The United Nations Secretary-General has now reported to the Security Council the outcome of Mr. Safronchuk’s recent visits to Libya. That report states that Security Council resolution 731 has not yet been complied with. We agree with that assessment. Libya must comply with United Nations Security Council resolution 731 or face further measures.