Lord Sheldon: My Lords, should not the Governor be congratulated on his ability to be in the minority during the monthly meeting when interest rates are assessed, and to be able to take that position when it might be thought of as a disadvantage? It demonstrates clearly the level of independence that the Governor has brought to his office.
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, in her effective speech the noble Baroness, Lady Wilcox, spoke of the change in the role and numbers of special advisers, and there have been some fundamental changes to which I want to refer. However, perhaps I may first refer to the Committee on the Civil Service, on which I had the pleasure to sit from 1966 to 1968, nearly 40 years ago. Its report referred at paragraph 129 to...
Lord Sheldon: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many responses have been received following the consultation on the draft Civil Service Bill.
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, I see that there are no more responses, so will my noble friend publish the Government's replies to those 50, which we knew about many months ago? Is he aware that very many people view with dismay the decline in the standing of the Civil Service, the dominant role of some special advisers, and the way in which the integrity and independence of the Civil Service has been put at...
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, I also express my great appreciation for the report and the detailed and voluminous evidence that it contains. It was rather surprising when one received the amount of information available; it was well beyond what one might have expected for such a committee. The noble Lord, Lord Joffe, has undertaken a valuable campaign to give those who have been subjected to great suffering and...
Lord Sheldon: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many responses have been received following the consultation document on their draft Civil Service Bill; and when they will complete their consideration of the responses.
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer, but will he accept that the question of a Civil Service Bill is not a new issue? Consultations have been going on for seven years, since the process began all that time ago. The latest consultation on the draft Bill, which produced only 50 replies, ended five months ago. So there have been five months to look at the results of the...
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, the basis for the debate is the economic situation. There have been a number of voices pointing out that although there have been 51 quarters of growth, some of those were before the Chancellor took office. But of course there have been many spurts of growth in the past which many of us will have seen. What they have all had in common is that they petered out in the misery of...
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, the March figures were particularly good, so there is a bit of a downturn in the June figures. However, we should we not take a more relaxed view of this? We do not need to look at them month by month because it is the long term that really counts. The confidence we have in the way that the economy of this country is being run should be the main test. That, I think, is good enough.
Lord Sheldon: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will encourage African countries to put in place measures to ensure that aid reaches those for whom it is intended rather than financing corruption; and how they will secure the implementation of such measures.
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, money has been given to a number of countries in Africa for good causes but that money has then been used for the purposes of the rulers of those countries rather than for what was intended. Should we have not only an assurance that the funds will be used for the purposes intended, but an acceptance that implementation will be closely monitored?
Lord Sheldon: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the results of their consultation on their draft Civil Service Bill.
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, is my noble friend aware that it is seven years since this process started? It was said that there would be a consultation, and we have heard this again and again. Does it not suggest that there is some disinclination to proceed with a great deal of speed on this matter? Until recently, the demand for an Act had been rather limited, because the aims of the Civil Service, as set out...
Lord Sheldon: My Lords—
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, will my noble friend confirm that, compared with previous governments, these Treasury forecasts have usually been more accurate than outside forecasts? Figures based on just one quarter really should not be sufficient to overturn those general views.
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, will my noble friend acknowledge that carbon dioxide emissions from this country are only a small proportion of that which you see world-wide? There would be limited benefits to the world as a whole if we were to act without others acting as well. Countries such as the United States and China are going to increase their carbon dioxide emissions to the great detriment of the global...
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, I am pleased to hear what my noble and learned friend says about the reporting of the changes that will be made, but what impact will that have on the Bill which we understand is going to come next year to take us to the second stage of the integration of the two departments?
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, my noble friend made the very important point that we are bringing together two completely disparate bodies with enormous powers, which deal with large sums of money, so we must have a way of finding out the errors that may occur as a result. There will be new arrangements and requirements, so we want somebody with direct experience. The eventual outcome of merging the Inland...
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, I rise briefly to point out one or two of the problems that we are going to see, as I understand it, as a result of the two bodies coming together—
Lord Sheldon: My Lords, before my noble and learned friend sits down, I have just one or two points to make. The coming together of the two departments will create some problems, and the safeguards that are going to be required are obvious. Will my noble and learned friend take account of the fact that the Inland Revenue has a lighter touch because it deals with matters in the past and has time to consider...