PMQT Written Answers – 7 December 1993
Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister’s Question Time from 7th December 1993.
PRIME MINISTER:
Visits
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the official visits by himself and his predecessor to (a) Saudi Arabia, (b) Malaysia and (c) Singapore since June 1987; and which such visits included party political activities in addition to official duties.
The Prime Minister : Official visits were made to Saudi Arabia in January 1991, March 1991 and January 1993; to Malaysia in August 1988, October 1989 (for CHOGM) and September 1993; and to Singapore in August 1988. The official visits made by my right hon. and noble Friend were a matter for her. Since November 1990 each of my visits to the countries concerned have been entirely for official purposes.
No. 10 Downing Street
Mr. Beith : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 30 November, Official Report, column 419, which charitable or other non- official organisations or groups have been notified that they may organise events at No. 10 Downing Street under the financial arrangements described in his answer.
The Prime Minister : I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) on 30 November 1993 at columns 418-19.
Ministers (Severance Pay)
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list those who have resigned, retired or been dismissed from ministerial office in the past 10 years and the severance pay in (i) cash and (ii) current prices paid to each one.
The Prime Minister : As the Financial Secretary explained on 28 October in his reply to a question from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen), the Parliamentary Pensions Act 1984 introduced severance payments for Ministers and other paid office holders in the House of Lords, subject to the conditions set out in the Act. The Ministerial and Other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 extended the provision to Commons Ministers and other paid office holders in neither House.
Although no composite list is kept, we have identified from our records the following occasions on which severance payments have been authorised since 31 July 1984. In each case the severance payment would have been equal to three months of the relevant ministerial salary, as provided for by the Act.
Severance Payments
Date and ministerial post
11 September 1984
Minister of State for the Environment
26 March 1985
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Environment
3 September 1985
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
11 September 1986
Minister of State, Environment
Minister of State, Scottish Office
15 June 1987
Minister of State, Foreign Office
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Trade and Industry
23 July 1989
Secretary of State, Trade and Industry
Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
24 July 1989
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Energy
25 July 1989
Lord in Waiting
26 July 1989
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office
22 July 1990
Minister of State, Industry
6 September 1990
Minister of State, Scottish Office
3 December 1990
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office
22 May 1991
Chief Whip, House of Lords
31 December 1991
Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords
11 April 1992
Secretary of State, Defence
Secretary of State, Home Office
Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office
Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords
14 April 1992
Minister of State, Defence
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Education and Science Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Education and Science Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State, Energy
Minister of State, Environment
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Health
Minister of State, Home Office
Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office
Minister for the Arts
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Trade and Industry
14 April 1992
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Transport
Minister of State, Transport
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Economic Secretary to the Treasury
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Welsh Office
27 April 1992
Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office
5 May 1992
Chairman of Committees, House of Lords
Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees, House of Lords Deputy Speaker, House of Commons
25 September 1992
Secretary of State, National Heritage
11 December 1992
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Education
26 May 1993
Chancellor of the Exchequer
27 May 1993
Minister of State, Defence
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Trade and Industry Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of Public Service and Science
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Transport
6 June 1993
Minister of State, FCO
24 June 1993
Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office
16 September 1993
Chief Whip, House of Lords