§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost to(a) the public sector and (b) the private sector of changing from the pound to the euro. [126403]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonShould the UK decide to join the euro, the costs of a changeover would depend on the detailed approach taken by organisations to a changeover.
§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the Treasury's estimate of the economic and fiscal consequences of joining the first wave of the euro in 1999; and if he will update it. [126791]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Treasury published the paper, "UK Membership of the Single Currency: An Assessment of the Five Economic Tests", in October 1997. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has said we will make another assessment of the five economic tests early in the next Parliament.
§ Mr. St. AubynTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what safeguards he has put in place to ensure that money spent through the National Changeover plan will be neutral in its impact upon public opinion about whether the United Kingdom should join the euro. [126185]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 19 June 2000]: Government policy on the euro was set out in the Second Outline National Changeover Plan.
The Government are committed to making preparations both to help business deal with the euro following its introduction in the 11 participating member states on 1 January 1999, and also to making preparations for the possibility of the UK joining the single currency.