Mr Denzil Davies: Is it not the case that not only the growth and stability pact but the whole Maastricht enterprise, and the common monetary policy established by it, are flawed? Is that not evidenced by what is happening in Germany, where a democratically elected Government have no jurisdiction over the value of the currency, no control, in effect, over public expenditure, and no jurisdiction over interest rates?
Mr Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the terms are of the recently announced inquiry to be headed by Lord Haskins relating to her Department.
Mr Denzil Davies: When my right hon. Friend next goes to Brussels to attend the European convention, will he explain to Mr. Giscard d'Estaing what the principles of devolution are—bearing in mind, of course, that he should do so without being very rude? When he does so, will he point out that the draft European constitution shows that Giscard clearly has no idea about those principles?
Mr Denzil Davies: I shall be brief, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I welcome the Chancellor's public expenditure review and the extra resources that will be put into public services. I do not think that any sensible person can believe that money alone will reform our public services, but without the money, there would be no hope. As the Chief Secretary to the Treasury said, we must see that reform goes hand in hand with...
Mr Denzil Davies: Does my right hon. Friend agree that one factor that would have an adverse effect on growth in GDP would be if the very low levels of inflation—which, of course, are welcome—were to slide into deflation? Given that over a range of manufacturing goods prices seem to be falling, will the Treasury start thinking about how to avoid deflation, since at times of deflation central banks are...
Mr Denzil Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will include the economies of the applicant countries to the EU in the assessment of whether there can be sustainable convergence between the UK and the economies of the single currency.
Mr Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the legal status will be within the EU of the 13 Palestinians who were brought out of Palestine following the end of the siege of the Church of the Nativity.
Mr Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the basis was for the reference in her advertisement for the post of National Governor (Wales) of the BBC to a substantial proportion of the output of BBC Wales being in Welsh.
Mr Denzil Davies: Following his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, North (Mr. Hopkins), does my right hon. Friend agree that, given that there is a common monetary policy in the euro area while budgetary policy is, in the main, still in the hands of the 12 nation states, it is not unreasonable for the Commission to argue for more of a common budgetary policy? Otherwise, economic convergence in the...
Mr Denzil Davies: I think that we all understand the purpose behind the legislation. Is it not a legitimate concern that, as I understand it, under the reserve powers the tax rates of companies can be increased in the middle of a financial year by secondary legislation?
Mr Denzil Davies: I shall speak briefly on the resolution, which, as my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury told the House, is a paving measure for the legislative framework to increase national insurance contributions in order to raise much-needed extra investment for the national health service. None of us is so naive as to believe that money alone can solve the problems of the national...
Mr Denzil Davies: I do not want to prolong this debate, but, first, surveyance is different from being forced to do something. Secondly, although there may be various interpretations of this treaty, there must be almost balance at this stage of the economic cycle, and we do not have it. I merely hope that we will not find ourselves, some time in the future, with another hole in the public sector finances, for...
Mr Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will place in the Library a verbatim report of the proceedings of the European Convention on the Future of Europe.
Mr Denzil Davies: Will my right hon. Friend raise with the First Minister the use of objective 1 funds to improve road links and the road-building programme? Is he aware that there is a view that objective 1 money cannot be used for roads? Given that west Wales is close to the periphery of Europe, and that roads can increase gross domestic product, is it not rather senseless to deny the use of objective 1...
Mr Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is intended that the votes taken at the proceedings of the European Convention on the Future of Europe will be recorded.
Mr Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2002, Official Report, column 1486W, if she will list the boards of which Mair Barnes is a non-executive director.
Mr Denzil Davies: My right hon. Friend may know that prior to the summit the European Commission estimated that the European Union's gross domestic product per head of the European Union stood at around only 65 per cent. of the equivalent figure for the United States. In view of that, and given that enlargement will further reduce the European figure, is not it reasonable to assume that Europe may never catch...
Mr Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate has been made of the total annual cost to the EU Budget of establishing a European network for the protection of public figures as proposed by the Kingdom of Spain in a draft decision (Brussels 29 January 2002) (S361/02).
Mr Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is intended that votes taken at the proceedings of the European Commission should be recorded.
Mr Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a verbatim report of the proceedings of the European Commission.
